secondsoprano

My partner & I are planning a big trip RTW in November, most of it in Sth America. We've never been there. Have put together this itinerary based various recommendations, Lonely Planet etc. Would be very grateful for a sense check from experienced FTs.

Nothing booked yet although need to do that v. soon. I am OWE if that makes a difference.

16 Nov - Fly SYD-SCL
17 Nov - SCL-MDZ (bus)
20 Nov - Fly MDZ-EZE
24 Nov - Fly EZE- Iguazu
26 Nov - Fly Iguazu-Salta
30 Nov - Salta-Uyuni (three-day organised tour)
3 Dec - Uyuni
5-25 Dec - Intrepid tour (Macchu Picchu, Amazon, Puno, Nazsca etc - this part is fixed)

26 -31 Dec: Somewhere?? Input please.!

Options might include Galapagos or Patagonia, but I'm starting to think the whole thing is getting a bit $$ so maybe we just go back to Santiago and hang out on the coast for a while after all the trekking around? Or Miami? Whatever we do, we need to arrive in Barcelona on 1 or 2 Jan. We're a bit bah humbug about NYE so thought it might be amusing to spend it on a plane and avoid the hype.

Any thoughts?

cheers.

secondsoprano

Oops... 3 Dec should be Uyuni to Lima (presumably via La Paz although I have no particular interest in staying there)

Thanks

Siempre Viajando

I recently left Chile after three years living in Santiago so my recommendation is not unbiased...but here is it: for the 26-31 December period fly south, to Punta Arenas, rent a 4X4 and see Patagonia. It's a bit out of your way if you will be coming from Lima, but you'll get nice long days and spectacular scenery in a region that, with the exception of places like Torres del Paine in Chile and the Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina, doesn't get a lot of tourists even today. And if you're a history buff it's really something to stand by the Straits of Magellan wondering how on earth Magellan's little boats found their way through there so long ago.

Warning: five days is not a lot of time for this as distances are long in this part of the world.

secondsoprano

Thanks - Patagonia does sound wonderful. We may need to rethink how we are going to fit everything in.

ldsant

You're asking for advice here so mine would be to seriously cut back and relax. There are so many gems that you'll want to visit/explore that travelling should be more than a "tick box." Relax and enjoy the journey as much as you can. BTW - I've been to South America 4 times now and it is more of a relaxed atmosphere and gorgeous outside of the larger cities.

boboqui

http://www.visitbrasil.com/visitbras...e-janeiro.html