South America
I quit my job in September of 2019 to travel throughout South America. Luckily, I was back in the United States before the Coronavirus Global Pandemic of 2020 emerged. Although I loved my job in Sales and company that I worked for, something in my gut was telling me to take this risk. I have always wanted to go to South America and I felt like this was my chance and my opportunity to cure this strong sense of wanderlust I was feeling….so I did packed my one backpack and went on my way. This was probably one of the biggest risks I have ever taken in my life, but the amount of support I received was indescribable.
I went to work and improve my Spanish skills through a program called Workaway. I was set to work at a hostel in a small surf town in Chile. It was the least expensive to fly into Lima, Peru first so that is where I landed when I flew in from Texas. I figured I would spend a few days there before I went down to Chile to work. A day after I got there, protests in Santiago broke out and the airports shutdown, the country went on lockdown. My flight and Workaway plans were cancelled. I thought, “now what am I going to do while I am here?” Sometimes things do not go as planned and that is one of the biggest challenges that come with traveling. Handling these unforeseen obstacles are entirely up to you and it was up to me to make a decision on how I wanted to continue my trip. I knew one thing; I definitely was not going to go back home. My South American journey had begun and I was able to see so much more than I would have if I worked at that hostel in Chile so looking back, maybe the protests happened for a reason.
Below are a few of the countries I visited and some recommendations.
PERU
Lima, Peru: Lima is the capital of Peru and is the most city-like city throughout the country. Fun fact- just the city of Lima has a population of almost 10 million people! It felt like the New York City of Peru and was a great place to begin my South American adventure. In Lima I experienced one of the biggest culture shocks. I felt like Below are some of the highlights.
- Miraflores: beautiful, trendy neighborhood right on the beach with parks, restaurants, and local markets
- AMAZING CEVICHE: I think we ate ceviche at every restaurant we went to. One of my favorites was at a place called Punto Azul, but I don’t think you can go wrong at any cevichera. Peruvian food in general is quite delicious (although I never tried the famous guinea pig).
- Alpes Hostel: we stayed in this hostel and it was great. They had a cookout dinner every night and we had the chance to meet travelers from all over the world! I realized that Lima, Peru is mostly a stopping point for many backpackers because it has the biggest airport and most are curious to explore the amazing outdoor scene amongst the Andes Mountains.
- The best and BIGGEST avocados you will ever see in your life are in Peru
- There are also over 4,000 different varieties of potatoes in Peru, so if you ever visit, make sure to try some Peruvian potatoes
Cusco, Peru: Cusco is one of the most incredible cities with such rich history and Peruvian culture. We saw a llama hanging out in the road! This is an extremely touristy city as people who want to go to the legendary Machu Picchu travel here first. Machu Picchu is the reason we traveled to this city. We were not sure how to get there but we knew we wanted to go. We did some research online and decided to do the JUNGLE TREK. If you press the link there is info about this Trek. It is four days long and includes a guide the entire time, rigorous hiking through the Inca trail, biking, white water rafting, zip lining and more! Although some of these activities were the most challenging and terrifying experiences, overall this 4 day adventure was magical. Not to mention, a great bang for your buck. I think just a ticket to visit Machu Picchu for the day is around $80. This trek includes all the adventure, meals, entry ticket, and places to stay for the three nights. Pachamama! (meaning Mother Earth).
- Wild Rover Hostel: Before our adventure to Machu Picchu we spent a couple nights in Cusco. We stayed at the Wild Rover Hostel . Beware, this is a party hostel, but if you can handle the noise, I highly recommend it. The walk to the hostel is a as difficult as a HIKE but the scene is amazing so while you may struggle to get up there, it will be worth it. Also, the beds in this hostel are much bigger than most and the bunk beds have a curtain for privacy and darkness.
- Machu Picchu: looking back, I cannot believe I was going to go to South America and not take a trip to one of this breathtaking Incan destination that happens to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. To get to Machu Picchu, you can take the train from Cusco which will take you to a small city called Aguas Calientes and then catch the bus from there. Or you can choose to walk up to Machu Picchu which is a very strenuous hike that only 5% of tourists choose to do. We were one of the 5% and decided to walk up- we began at about 4 AM when it was dark outside and by the time we made it up there the sun was up. Our ticket to enter Machu Picchu was at 6 AM and this was an incredible time to experience it because we beat the crowd and were able to watch the sun come up.
- Banos Termales de Cocalmayo: on the second day of the trek to Machu Picchu, we hiked around 14 miles and at the end of the exhausting day, our guide took us to these hot springs / medicinal baths and this rewards was amazing. after a very long day. There are several pools that are all different temperatures.
- Coca: the Coca leaf is a plant that goes in Peru and the local love this herb. It can be consumed in tea or by chewing it, the coca leaf can provide energy and has historically allowed people to work harder for longer periods of time. Coca tea can supposedly also be good for altitude sickness. (Altitude sickness is common when traveling to Cusco because it is 11,152 feet above sea level).
Arequipa, Peru: Arequipa is the second most populated city in Peru after Lima with a population of roughly 1 million people. A popular destination from Arequipa Colca Canyon which is the second deepest canyon in the world. Unfortunately, I was not able to experience the Colca Canyon, but other travelers I spoke to said it was incredible.
- Plaza de Armas: a gorgeous square where there are many restaurants and little shops. Great place to people watch.
- San Camilo Market: if ever in Arequipa, San Camilo Market is a must. Visiting this market allowed me to really absorb the Peruvian culture. We sat down and ate delicious soup that was cooked and served by a local family in the middle of the crowded market. Each bowl of soup was 25 cents!
- San Lazaro Neighborhood: oldest neighborhood in Arequipa, dates back to 1540!
ARGENTINA
Mendoza, Argentina: Mendoza is a well known city in Argentina that is known for its stunning vineyards. The most famous wine out of Mendoza is the Malbec. We flew into Mendoza from Peru and these two countries could not be more different. In Mendoza, Argentina I felt like I was in a mix of Italy and Spain. This city has an extremely laid back vibe and felt quite small in that I noticed the same people in different places several times after being there for a week.
- Wine / Bike Tour: the best way to experience the different vineyards is to go on a wine and bike tour! We did not have a tour guide we just rented bikes and travelled to different vineyards around Maipu (one of the three wine regions in the area). Don’t worry, you do not have to bike all the way back to the beginning, they are aware that you are tasting wine so there is a place to drop them off at the end of the day! A few that we went to were Familia Cecchin, Antigal, Trapiche. There are so many wineries and it is easy to get overwhelmed but everyone has a different experience and you will go to some you like and some you do not like! I recommend going in with not a super concrete plan because it is easy to get lost. For lunch try to find a vineyard that does a wine pairing and an asado. The family of the vineyard we had lunch at cooked for four different courses (all contained meat) and paired each course with a different wine. I have been a Pescatarian (I eat fish, but do not eat any other meat) since 2016 and because I was in the meat country I felt like it would be silly not to try meat. And I have no regrets! Everything we ate was delicious.
- Stay at a Vineyard: Because Mendoza is so well known for its wine, we decided to get an Air B n B for one night and stay on a vineyard. We stayed in Lujan de Cuyo and although this was probably one of the more bougie ideas, it was a 10/10 experience. It was nice to not stay in a hostel and to get away for the noise. I enjoyed the peaceful time at the vineyard; I read, practiced yoga, went for several walks in the luscious green scenery, and had the best overall night sleep.
- The Parque General San Martín: this is a MASSIVE park in Mendoza. If you look on a map you can see how big this park is….almost the size of the city itself. When I was in Mendoza, I loved going to this park and people watching. I went on a few runs and really felt like the whole city is so active and appreciates the outdoors. We purchased a volleyball and played in this park daily. (fun fact: although I just had one backpack the entire South America trip, this volleyball made it all the way back to Texas with me and I still have it today!)
- Arístides Villanueva Street: this is a street in Mendoza that is super popular for young travelers and tourists. There are several bars and restaurants. The entire block has a very modern feel and it is where all the action happens! If you are a night owl and are looking to check out the bar scene, I recommend taking a walk down this street.
Puerto Iguazú, Argentina: We went here to catch a sight of the renowned Iguazu Falls. This waterfall is super neat because it is on the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Many people go see the falls from the Argentina and the Brazil side but we only went to the Argentina side because it was pouring rain the entire time we were there. Besides the waterfall, there is not much to do in this city. I would recommend staying here for one day; two maximum.
- Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat): this is the Argentine side of the waterfall and to get to it, we took a train. I think an option is to walk but it was raining very hard outside so we opted out of that one. Even though it was raining like crazy, there were still so many tourists on their way to see the waterfall. This was an incredible sight to see but VERY VERY touristy.
Buenos Aires, Argentina: From Iguazu we made the trip to Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, is the largest city in the country and one of my favorite cities I have ever been to. I felt a large European influence in BA, like a mix between Spain, France and Italy. I loved to people watch here and one of the biggest things I noticed is that people in Argentina are SO animated when they tell stories. I could watch them talk for hours, they use so many hand motions, change the inflection of their voice, and use countless face expressions as well. When the Argentineans tell a story they REALLY tell a story. Below are some of the highlights of Buenos Aires.
- Recoleta Cemetery: this cemetery has been around since 1822 and is quite out of the ordinary. There are several extremely well known figures that are buried in this iconic cemetery and a visit to it is definitely worthwhile. It is one of the most well known cemeteries in the world and as you walk through you will feel almost like you are a small human being walking through in an old, ancient city and if the weather is gloomy when you visit (like it was for me) it will create an almost spooky experience. It is completely free to enter.
- Choripan: Choripan is one of the favorite foods in Argentina. It is a piece of chorizo sandwiched in two pieces of bread (or, in Spanish, pan) and seasoned with the most delicious sauce called chimichurri. I am not a meat-eater but I had to try one of these famous sandwiches and I must say, it was outstanding. We went to a hole in the wall place in the San Telmo area, not a restaurant but more like an Argentinian man and his grill with a few tables outside.
- Palermo: it was my friends birthday when we were in Buenos Aires so we splurged and got a hotel one night in Palermo. I loved this neighborhood and we stumbled upon the Botanical Gardens, which is right in the middle. We also ate some delicious Lebanese food in this neighborhood. My favorite healthy restaurant discovery was called Tiendas Naturales and these are all over Buenos Aires.
URUGUAY
Punta Del Este: this is a very small beach town on the coast of Uruguay. Some call it the “the Hamptons of South America.” This city was by far the most expensive place we went to…New York City prices. We learned that the hard way after dining out a few times and then looking at our credit card statements. The city was full of vacationers from Argentina, Brazil and other parts of Uruguay. Punta Del Este is one ferry ride away from Buenos Aires and is a total vacation getaway spot.
- Punta Del Este’s Port: I highly recommend walking around the port. The area is beautiful and all of the restaurants near the port have fresh food/fish, gorgeous views, and beachy ambiences.
- Mano de Punta Del Este: you will know you are here when you walk off the ferry and see the sculpture of the hand on the beach, it is iconic and very hard to miss!