Any GNs out there travelled in South America?

Hi BAnanas we are currently looking at doing a similar trip and I contacted Trailfinders to tell them where we want to go and asking for any other suggestions they think we should see as we will probably only go once. They have put together a good itinerary including both sides of the Igassu falls, Rio, Lake Titicaca, Maccu Pichu and the Galapagos. They said the Nazco lines are over rated so not to bother. It is a good starting point but I think we still have a lot of research to do so I will be interested in the responses you get.

I did read that May is the best time to do all the Inca stuff as the weather has improved but it is not too busy.

Hi Movedalot, I'll get on to Trailfinders, thanks for that. The Inca stuff sounds really interesting but we did a load of Mayan structures in Mexico so I'm not doing ruins this time, also I've heard that some people suffer from altitude sickness when visiting Maccu Pichu. The Galapogos I believe are fascinating, especially if if you like Iguanas, but they are helluva way off shore from Ecuador I know someone who has been to them though. Good luck with your trip, I need to do some more research, I hope we get some response I always feel that South America seems the last frontier as far as long haul trips are concerned and is not as popular as say the Far East.

DH and I went to Peru two years ago using Llama Travel who do fantastic escorted tours of South America. I had never heard of them before, but they were so efficient and helpful that I would strongly recommend them.

Should have said if you Google their website you would be able to get a brochure.

Hello B have never traveled there but every SA person I have ever met have been polite well mannered people and of a good nature..

We went to Ecuador with a Galapagos add-on with Saga in 2010. First week on a tributary of the Amazon on a river boat called the Manatee. Fantastic adventure with loads of wildlife (mostly birds) with comfortable accommodation. Middle 5 days in Quito for a bit of culture and then onto the Galapagos. This was shore based, again comfortably although Saga said it was basic. The drawback of being based in one place was that the islands are further apart than they look on the map, so lots of time spent in boats. Really weird place though as none of the 'wildlife' gets out of your way! Thoroughly recommend Saga. Their door to door service is excellent.

How much do you not like flying? To get to Ecuador we had to go Heathrow - Madrid - Quito. Coming back from Galapagos added an extra leg to this and took f o r e v e r! I believe getting to Peru also means going via Madrid. It may be worth looking at alternative routes. Had we have thought, because we live in Norfolk, it would have been much better to have flown Norwich, Schipol, Quito.

Ceesnan, thanks for your recommendation for Llama travel they are one of the tour operators I have been Googling and they seem to do quite a lot of tours I would be interested in. Nfk Dumpling, I don't like flying at all, but accept it's something I have to do if I want to go to far flung places, I try to avoid internal flights wherever possible for example when we went to New York last year we got a train down to South Carolina and back again, but I imagine rail travel is not much of an option in South America. I am just wondering what sort of plane I would have to get on between Argentina, Iguazu Falls and then Brazil, but am hoping the tour operator whoever they will be will be, able to tell me. Thank you for your recommendation for Saga, I will look into them as well as a prospective tour operator.

Thanks Ceesnan I had seen Llama Travel but didn't look at their tours as I had never hear of them. I have a list of companies to look at and have added them to it.

We flew Manchester/Schipol(sp?)/Lima a couple of years ago, and it took about 11 hours in total as far as I remember. The two internal flights we took were very good, same excellent service and planes very comfy. I'm no expert but they didn't look as though they were held together with string and sticky tape! We opted for the train from Cusco to Lake Titicaca and the journey through The Andes High Plains was a breathtaking experience. LLama Travel will do their utmost to help you achieve a memorable holiday, Nothing seemed to be too much trouble, and the reps they use for their tours are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I sound like an advertisement for them don't I?

My Llama Travel brochure arrived today, they do seem to be Latin American travel specialists, they literally only cover south and central America. I suppose the clue's in the name! Glad you thought the internal flights were okay Ceesnan, that's the sort of information I'm looking for.

Ceesnan, were your flights on standard sized planes and not a small aircraft carrying about 30 people? I did a flight like this once from Miami to Tampa and swore I'd never do another one like it.

The planes were normal sized modern jets. I know what you mean about the really small ones, and like you, wouldn't willingly go on one again!

Thanks Ceesnan that's what I wanted to know.