- Important points
- Choosing wings
- Hotel or apartment
- Transport subtleties
- Nightingales are not fed with fables
- The perfect trip to South America
What do we know about South America and why tours there are in constant demand, despite the many thousands of kilometers separating our continents? The scenario of a trip to South America usually includes a carnival in Rio de Janeiro - colorful, bright and original, which hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world strive to see every year. And South America is also the ancient cities of the Incas, lost on the mountain ranges of the Andes, and the blue glaciers of Chile, sparkling with priceless diamonds in the sun. Here the Amazon jungle is roaring and the Atacama Desert is full of heat, and from the plane you can see the mysterious signs left on the Nazca plateau by unknown civilizations.
Important points
- To visit most of the countries of South America for tourist purposes, Russian citizens do not need a visa. The most popular of them are Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia.
- On the islands of the Caribbean Sea, territorially related to Latin and South America, entry for Russian citizens is also visa-free. For a beach holiday, you can fly to Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.
- When traveling in South America, do not forget to observe the rules of a safe holiday. First, don't visit the crime-ridden areas of big cities. Secondly, store material values and documents in hotel safes. Impeccable observance of sanitary and hygienic standards will help to avoid infectious diseases.
- Most of the countries in the South American region speak Spanish, so a small phrasebook in your luggage will greatly simplify communication.
Choosing wings
When planning your trip to South America, try to book your flight well in advance. In this way, it will be possible to purchase tickets much cheaper, especially if you "get" on special promotions of European airlines. In general, a transcontinental flight is not a cheap pleasure:
- Travel to Argentina will cost at least $ 850. With a connection in Madrid, for example, the journey will take from 19 hours, excluding the transfer.
- Rio de Janeiro can be reached on the wings of Emirates for $ 950, Etihad for $ 1000 or Air France for $ 1050, unless the trip falls during the hot carnival season when ticket prices skyrocket.
- Russia and Chile are most economically connected by carriers from the United States. For example, a flight from Moscow to Santiago with transfers in Amsterdam and Atlanta will cost $ 950 and will take about 22 hours excluding connections. The only condition is that the traveler has a US visa.
- The flight to Peru can be taken on the wings of the same Delta, provided that the traveler's passport is decorated with a Stars and Stripes visa. The ticket price starts from $ 800, and you will have to spend as many as 23 hours in the sky.
- Dutch and French airlines traditionally fly to Havana the cheapest. The flight between the Russian and Cuban capitals takes from 14 hours and costs from $ 600. Direct Aeroflot flights will save you some time. Their passengers will stay in the sky for 11.5 hours for $ 700 or more.
Going on a trip to America - South or North, remember the time difference and try to "fit" into the local regime on the very first day upon arrival. So the adaptation will be faster. A good dose of vitamin C in the days before and during the trip will support the immune system and minimize the risk of catching a virus or catching a cold.
Hotel or apartment
When planning your trip to South America, carefully consider the choice of hotel. In the capitals of almost all countries on the continent and in the largest metropolitan areas, the hotel base is able to please both the fan of special comfort and the budget-conscious tourist. In the provinces, things are different, and therefore reading reviews and booking in advance will help the traveler not to be disappointed in the upcoming trip.
Important safety rules while staying in hotels in South American countries:
- Choose a hotel as close to the city center as possible. Despite the relative cheapness of hotels on the outskirts, preference should be given to areas that are safe from the point of view of the crime situation.
- Do not leave valuables unattended and book rooms with a safe. The low standard of living in most countries of the continent is the reason for the not too conscientious behavior of the hotel staff.
- Avoid ice in drinks and use bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth. The quality of tap water treatment, even in high-quality hotels, can be very poor.
It is common for travelers to South America to book private apartments, apartments and rooms of local residents. If we are not talking about Cuba, where it can be done, it is necessary and quite safe, use only proven specialized sites on the Internet to find suitable options!
Transport subtleties
The transport systems of most South American cities are represented by a network of bus, trolleybus and tram routes. There is a metro in the capitals and some metropolitan areas, and in the old cities funiculars and historic trams have been preserved in some places.
All intercity bus transport on the continent can be roughly divided into four classes, depending on comfort.
Buying a ticket for a trip in "cama" class buses, you get the opportunity to sleep well, as the seats in them fold out into full-fledged berths. Other amenities include air conditioning, toilet, wash basin and hot coffee on demand.
A little more money on top, and you get the level of "cama ejecutivo" with the opportunity to have dinner and breakfast. In such buses, even 15-hour journeys in Argentina and Chile fly by unnoticed.
Semi-cama machines are equipped with comfortable reclining seats, dry closets, coffee machines and TVs. The fare is one third lower than in "cama".
The cheapest tickets are sold for buses of the Hungarian "Ikarus" type with a toilet, folding seats and air conditioning, and for minibuses for 12-18 seats, without amenities.
Tickets for intercity transport are purchased at the ticket offices of passenger terminals. It is much more profitable to buy round-trip tickets than separately "there" and "back".
Useful details when operating South American public intercity transportation:
- Be sure to have a blanket or warm clothes with you, as bus air conditioners are merciless.
- Do not rely on punctual adherence to the schedule, and therefore add extra time for bus delays when planning difficult routes.
- If possible, keep an eye on the suitcase you checked in on the bus, especially at bus stops! South America is a country where theft is not uncommon.
- Keep your passport ready as most countries require it when boarding a bus.
Nightingales are not fed with fables
South American cuisine is as varied as its nature, traditions and celebrations. For example, in Brazil, restaurants serving a variety of grilled dishes are popular. They are called "Rodizio" and operate on a buffet basis. Paying $ 7 -8 $ for entry, you can not limit yourself either in time or in the amount of food consumed. You will have to pay extra only for drinks. You can dine in a restaurant where waiters take over the service for $ 10. For this money, the visitor is guaranteed a salad, hot meals and a glass of good wine.
The meat country Argentina offers inexpensive food in a bufet-type cafe, where the tourist will have to serve himself, but he will save a lot at the same time. A full plate of food, which includes meat, fresh vegetables, side dishes and sauce, will cost a maximum of $ 5 in such a dining room. But lovers of real marbled beef steaks, which Argentina is famous for, will have to fork out at least $ 12-$ 15 per serving.
Unlike Europe, when traveling in South America, you should not try to save money by turning far away from the tourist routes. Food on the outskirts of Caracas or Rio will undoubtedly be cheaper, but even the local police cannot guarantee your safety in such places
The perfect trip to South America
There are six climatic zones on the continent - from equatorial to temperate. In most of the mainland, the climate is subequatorial and tropical, with pronounced dry and wet seasons. On the plains of the northern part, the air temperature both in winter and in summer fluctuates slightly - within + 22 ° С - + 28 ° С. Farther south in winter it becomes colder, and on the Brazilian Highlands in July it can be up to + 10 ° C, and in Patagonia it is about 0.
The optimal time for a tour to South America depends on what the purpose of the upcoming trip is. In February, the carnival in Rio de Janeiro is noisy, in May the ski season begins on the slopes of most South American ski resorts, and on the beaches of Venezuela, Cuba and the Dominican Republic you can sunbathe and swim all year round.
