Discover the best of South America with LATAM Airlines
From the snow-dusted peaks of the Andes to the emerald forests of the Amazon; the flour-white beaches of the Caribbean to the candy-hued architecture of many of its cities, South America is as diverse as it is jaw-dropping.
And whether you’re looking to sail the islands of the Galápagos, celebrate carnival in Brazil, hike Peru’s Inca Trail or explore the wilds of Patagonia, there’s no shortage of once-in-a-lifetime experiences to enjoy across this captivating part of the world.
Fortunately, you can hop between the highlights easily with LATAM Airlines, which offers daily direct flights from London Heathrow to São Paulo. From there, you can fly to many of South America’s main hubs, as well as smaller domestic airports – and with awards from the likes of Skytrax and APEX, you can trust you’re in experienced hands. LATAM Airlines will have you gliding across the world in comfort and with impeccable, detail-oriented service meaning you can focus on the excitement of your adventure of a lifetime.
So where should you head if you’re planning a trip to South America? We’ve put together a guide to some of our favourite spots to explore across Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and how LATAM Airlines can help you get there.
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro (LATAM Airlines)
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro (LATAM Airlines)
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile (LATAM Airlines)
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile (LATAM Airlines)
Brazil
The wildlife-rich landscapes of the Amazon, the powder-soft beaches of Bahia, the buzzing streets of São Paulo; Brazil is a country of many sides, and nowhere is its energy better seen than during Carnival, when glittering float parades, spinning samba dancers and bloco street parties take over almost every corner.
Rio de Janeiro
At the heart of the country, of course, is Rio de Janeiro – one of the most vibrant cities on the planet, where the legendary beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema meet the bars of Lapa and the colourful, bohemian hangouts of Santa Teresa.
No visit to the city would be complete without a trip to see Christ the Redeemer, the 30m-tall statue that peers over the city, or Sugarloaf Mountain, the hump-shaped, emerald-dotted rock that offers panoramic views over the skyline and sea below.
Beyond the city, there’s plenty more to see. Take a bus four hours west of Rio and you’ll find Paraty. Once a hotspot during the 18th-century gold rush, the cobblestone streets, rainbow-hued doorframes and Portuguese architecture of this picturesque town have been perfectly preserved, with jungle-carpeted mountains and gently rippling beaches for a backdrop.
Iguazú Falls
On the nature front, Brazil isn’t exactly short on options, but for one of its most dazzling spectacles, head to Iguazú Falls. Here hundreds of plumes come crashing down the tree-carpeted cliffs of Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, spanning 2,700m in total; take a hike along its trails, hop in a boat or venture out on a rafting trip to see this magical sight at its most almighty.
Getting there
LATAM Airlines offers daily direct flights from London Heathrow to São Paulo and from there to domestic airports including Rio de Janeiro, Foz do Iguaçu (the gateway to Iguazú Falls), Bahia, Fortaleza, Florianopolis and beyond.
Argentina
Spectacular landscapes, world-class wineries, exceptional cuisine and a warm, welcoming culture – it’s not hard to see what draws visitors to Argentina.
Buenos Aires
Any trip to the country should start with a stay in Buenos Aires, whose Italian and French-inspired culture shines through in everything from the Neoclassical architecture to the standout cafes, pizzerias and gelaterias that line its streets.
Especially unmissable is the Recoleta neighbourhood, famous for its Parisian-inspired buildings, and Palermo, where boutiques, cocktail bars and restaurants flank manicured cobbled lanes.
To see another side to the city, head to La Boca – a strikingly colourful, traditionally working-class barrio where tango dancers strut beside local artists’ stalls and craft shops. When evening falls, swing by La Ventana or Café de los Angelitos to see some of Buenos Aires’ best tango shows, or visit one of the city’s many rooftop bars, speakeasies and clubs to get a taste of its lively, round-the-clock nightlife.
Mendoza
Outside the capital, you’ll find everything from working gaucho ranches to calving glaciers, soaring peaks and scenic vineyards – for the last, head to Mendoza, the largest wine-producing region in South America.
Set in the foothills of the Andes, this scenic, rural landscape is especially famous for its Malbecs, with tours on hand to whisk you between the vineyards. River rafting, hiking and other activities are all on offer too, while the province’s namesake city is well worth some time with its laid-back vibe, leafy streets and standout restaurants and wine bars – all set against a landscape of snow-capped, undulating mountains.
Córdoba
A lesser-visited but no less impressive urban spot to explore is Argentina's second city, Córdoba. Over 400 years old, Córdoba is home to one of the oldest universities in South America. As such, it’s revered for its people’s intellect and interest in culture. The Jesuit Block (Manzana Jesuítica) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site dotted with cloisters, cobblestoned streets and ornate churches.
Comfortable blending the old with the new, Córdoba is also home to many culinary entrepreneurs honouring local produce and Argentinian hospitality like Javier Rodríguez of Argentina’s most narrow restaurant, El Papagayo and fusion fanatic, Franco Ghione of Bros Comedor.
Getting there
LATAM flies from London Heathrow to Buenos Aires and Mendoza with a stop in São Paulo. The airline also offers flights to Salta and Córdoba.
Chile
Whether it’s the lunar-like plains of the Atacama Desert, the frenetic buzz of Santiago de Chile or the pastel-hued streets of coastal Valparaiso, Chile knows how to drop jaws.
Patagonia
Among its most immense landscapes, of course, is Patagonia – the pristine expanse of jagged Andean peaks in the country’s spindly south, where glaciers hover above mirror lakes and fjords carve their way through thick, evergreen forest.
At its heart is Torres del Paine, the National Park whose milky-blue waters and molten-like volcanoes form the backdrop to glacier hikes, horse rides and iceberg-dotted kayaking trips. North lies the Chilean Lake District, while further south, you’ll find Tierra del Fuego – a wild, remote archipelago home to windswept coastlines, humongous glaciers and plenty of penguins.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Beyond Patagonia, Chile boasts plenty more to lure – not least on Easter Island, or Rapa Nui. Located more than 3,218km off the coast of the mainland in Polynesia, this extraordinary land happens to be the most remote inhabited island on the planet, with a population of just 5,000, and a fascinating Indigenous Polynesian heritage.
History and culture are in abundance across the isle, with scuba diving, snorkelling, cycling and hiking on hand if you’re looking to get active. Especially intriguing are the ‘Easter Island heads’, a collection of 900, monolithic Moai statues scattered between volcanic craters and rolling hills.
Getting there
LATAM flies from London Heathrow to Santiago de Chile via São Paulo. From there, the airline offers flights to Puerto Natales, Punta Arenas (both gateways to Patagonia), Calama (close to Atacama), Easter Islandaand beyond.
Peru
Misty mountain slopes, millennia-old Inca ruins, billowing desert and modern, cosmopolitan cities – Peru has it all, with a healthy dollop of outdoor adventure thrown in for good measure.
Lima
The country has earnt a well-deserved reputation for its food scene, and nowhere is it better seen than in capital Lima, where Michelin-starred restaurants like Maido and Mayta serve modern Peruvian dishes and exceptional Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) food. Central, the brainchild of creative chef, Virgilio Martínez that focuses on fine dining rooted in Peruvian ingredients and topographies, has been named the best restaurant in the world on many occasions. Elsewhere in the capital, artisanal shops scatter the trendy Barranco neighbourhood, while Miraflores dishes up surfable beaches, sleek cafes and suave hotels.
Cusco
But the crowning glory for many is Cusco, the UNESCO-listed Andean city perched 3,400m high and once the capital of the Inca Empire. Today its whitewashed colonial edifices sit atop ancient Inca foundations, with cobblestone alleys, chocolate shops and an indomitable sandstone cathedral found in and around its central square, Plaza de Armas.
No visit here would be complete without a trip to Sacsayhuamán, the huge fortress built by the Incas in the 15th century.
Machu Picchu
For the ultimate Inca discovery, though, Machu Picchu takes the crown. Abandoned in the 16th century, the ‘Lost City of the Incas’ is one of the most extraordinary sites on the planet, with the stony remnants of its temples scattered across verdant terraces and pointy peaks that pierce majestically through the clouds.
Trains can take you here from Cusco, but for those up for a challenge, the four-day Inca Trail or five-day Salkantay trek (among others) will take you hiking at an altitude of over 4,000m through the heart of the Sacred Valley. Expect snowy peaks, aquamarine lakes and tree-carpeted slopes at every turn, as you follow in the footsteps of what was once the largest and most powerful empire in the world; this is the stuff of dreams for anyone up for an adventure to long remember.
Getting there
LATAM flies from Heathrow to Lima via São Paulo, and from Lima to Arequipa, Cusco, Iquitos (gateway to the Amazon) and other domestic airports.
Colombia
For travellers after a warm, friendly culture and abundant nature, Colombia knows how to charm – and from salsa dancing in Cali to coffee-tasting in Salento, coastal hikes around Santa Marta to city life in Bogotá, visitors here aren’t short on things to see.
Cartagena
Among its most striking spot is Cartagena – the historic coastal city washed in lemon-yellow, where cobbled plazas and lively markets sit within walls originally built to protect the city from pirates. Well worth a visit is San Felipe Castle, a hilltop fortress perched above the Caribbean Sea, and the Rosario Islands, whose flour-soft sand and cerulean sea can be reached by boat.
Medellín
For a further dose of culture, look to Medellín. This vibrant, innovative city buzzes day and night and has undergone something of a transformation in recent decades. Tours can give an insight into its tumultuous past, including around Comuna 13, formerly one of the city’s most dangerous neighbourhoods, now reinvented with colourful murals and street performers at every turn.
Head to Medellín's El Poblado neighbourhood for some of the city’s shiniest boutiques, bars and restaurants, or take the cable car up to Parque Arví for an oasis of calm. Early August meanwhile sees the city turn into a living kaleidoscope, with parades, music and other events filling the streets as part of the Medellín Flower Festival.
Getting there
LATAM flies from Heathrow to Bogotá via São Paulo or Madrid, and from there to Cartagena, Medellín, Cali, Santa Marta, Barranquilla, San Andres Island and beyond.
Ecuador
From hiking in the Andean highlands to wandering the UNESCO-listed paths of Cuenca, Ecuador has plenty to satisfy all palettes, and at its heart is capital Quito.
Quito
Set in the middle of the highlands at an altitude of over 2,800m, this scenic mountain city blends quaint cobbled lanes and Spanish architecture with bustling mercados and standout restaurants, many clustered around its UNESCO-listed Old Town. If you fancy standing on the equatorial line, hop on a bus or taxi to Mitad del Mundo, where you can put one foot in each hemisphere and learn more about the history of the country and its people.
The Galápagos Islands
Ecuador isn’t just about its culture, of course, and for anyone into their wildlife, the Galápagos deserves pride of place on the list. Lying 965km off the coast of the mainland, this volcanic, 127-island archipelago is a genuine paradise for nature-lovers, with its dinosaur-like giant tortoises, Galápagos penguins, blue-footed boobies and marine iguanas among the species found nowhere else on earth.
Book an expedition cruise to explore its highlights, which range from verdant, hilly Isabela to the copper-red shores of Rabida. You’ll find some of the most spectacular snorkelling and diving on the planet here, too – think penguins, manta rays, turtles and fur seals brushing past beside white-tipped sharks and hammerheads in a scene that’s the definition of surreal.
Getting there
LATAM flies from Heathrow to Quito and Guayaquil with stops in Madrid and Lima. From Quito, the airline flies direct to Cuenca and Baltra Island (the starting point for most Galápagos cruises). The airline also flies direct from Guayaquil to San Cristobal Island.
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