Amanda’s Blog: Latin America - Holiday styles to inspire your next adventure

I have been lucky enough to travel to South America twice with Latin Routes - and both trips reminded me why this part of the world gets under your skin in a way few destinations do.

My first adventure took me to Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janeiro; my second to Peru - Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca.

If Latin America is on your radar, please read on. I hope this post helps inspire you...

If you were captivated by BBC's Race Across the World - watching teams navigate the length of South America or explore Central America's hidden corners, you'll know there's something utterly compelling about this part of the world. The vast landscapes, the wildlife encounters, the food, the cultures that shift with every border crossing.

Latin America isn't just one destination - it's dozens, each offering something completely different. The question isn't whether to go. It's how you want to experience it.

Wildlife encounters

Latin America delivers some of the most rewarding wildlife experiences on the planet - and nowhere else comes close for sheer variety.

The Galápagos Islands remain one of the true bucket list wonders of the world. Giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies - all remarkably unafraid of humans. Whether you explore by cruise or land-based stays, every day brings close encounters found nowhere else on Earth.

For those drawn to big cats, Brazil's Pantanal is your best chance of spotting a jaguar in the wild. The open wetlands make wildlife viewing easier than dense rainforest, with capybaras, hundreds of bird species and one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. The Amazon offers something different - that deep rainforest immersion, guided by experts into one of Earth's most important wildernesses.

Costa Rica packs extraordinary biodiversity into a compact, accessible package - sloths, monkeys, spectacular birdlife in carefully protected reserves. And I have seen first-hand through clients just how special it is - Chris and Jane's wildlife adventure and Sue and Steven's bucket list experience - two very different trips but both equally brilliant.

Food lovers

From the Andes to the Amazon, Latin America's cuisine is shaped by landscape, culture and centuries of tradition. Every meal tells a story.

Peru leads the way. Lima's dining scene - fresh ceviche, perfectly balanced pisco sours, lomo saltado - has earned the city repeated recognition as Latin America's top gastronomic destination.

And having visited myself, I can tell you the food is every bit as extraordinary as the scenery. You can read about my Peru trip here.

Argentina means asado - that slow-cooked barbecue tradition paired with bold Malbec wines from Mendoza's high-altitude vineyards. Buenos Aires has lovely architecture, brilliant food and wine, and it is easy to visit a working ranch for the day to watch the gauchos with their horses. A wonderful contrast in one trip.

Adventure and self-drive

There's real freedom in exploring Latin America by road - shaping each day around your curiosity, taking scenic detours, lingering where something captures your attention.

Costa Rica offers one of the region's most rewarding self-drive experiences - rainforests to coastlines, national parks to beach towns, all connected by navigable roads.

Chile is home to one of the world's great road adventures. The Carretera Austral stretches 1,240km through forests, lakes, fjords and glaciers in some of the planet's most remote scenery.

For active adventurers, the options are exceptional: trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, hike Torres del Paine's celebrated W Trek or experience white-water rafting on the Futaleufú River.

Culture and discovery

Peru remains extraordinary - and standing at Machu Picchu for the first time is genuinely one of those pinch-me moments I will never forget. The Sacred Valley, the floating Uros islands on Lake Titicaca, the sense that you are somewhere truly ancient and completely alive.

A mother and daughter trip to Peru is one of my favourite recent client stories - a truly special adventure for two...

Colombia has evolved beautifully too - Cartagena's walled old town, Bogotá's museums and street art, Medellín's transformation from troubled past to vibrant cultural hub.

And for something truly ancient, Guatemala's Tikal sees Maya temples rise above the jungle canopy - howler monkeys echoing through the trees, the sense of stepping into a lost world genuinely intact.

Honeymooners and families

For honeymooners, Latin America creates journeys that feel genuinely personal. Argentina's wine regions and Buenos Aires' tango scene. Peru's Sacred Valley for active couples who want adventure alongside romance. Belize for seclusion - intimate jungle lodges, private sunset catamaran dinners, scenic flights over the Great Blue Hole.

For families, Costa Rica is safe, seamless and endlessly engaging. Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula offers cenote swimming, jungle exploration and gentle snorkelling. Peru is a brilliant choice for teenagers who love a bit of adrenaline - dune buggy rides, white-water rafting and the extraordinary Via Ferrata experience in the Sacred Valley.

Multi-centre journeys

Both of my own South American trips were designed to cover as much as possible in the time available and I would highly recommend the same approach for clients. Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio in one journey are a wonderful combination - the cities could not be more different, and Iguazu needs to be seen from both sides.

The Argentinian side takes you above and over the falls on boardwalks; the Brazilian side puts you below looking across, with the option of a boat ride under the cascades. Quite breathtaking.

You can click here to read about Jayne and John's experience of visiting Iguazu Falls.

Expedition cruising

For those who want to cover ground whilst never feeling rushed, expedition cruising opens Latin America in a completely different way. A Galápagos cruise remains the most rewarding way to experience the archipelago.

For the truly adventurous, Antarctica is accessible from South America's southern tip - purpose-built expedition vessels, Zodiac outings and close encounters with penguins and dramatic ice formations in the world's last great wilderness.

Your Latin America journey

Whether you are drawn to wildlife encounters, culinary discoveries, active adventures, cultural immersion or romantic escapes, Latin America rewards curious travellers - those willing to go beyond the highlights and experience places that stay with you long after you have returned home.

Most of the South America and Costa Rica trips I have arranged have been booked through Latin Routes and having experienced two trips with them myself, I know exactly how knowledgeable and well-connected they are. Any clients I send are very well looked after.

If Latin America is calling you, I would love to help you plan it. Explore more here or get in touch anytime.

Amanda x