Looking for the ultimate gap year itinerary across South America? Well, look no further! This itinerary combines unique can't-do-it-yourself and must-book-in-advance experiences with plenty of time for independent backpacking and adventure.
Kick off your gap year adventure in the Caribbean city of Cartagena on the northern coast of Colombia. Here you'll spend two weeks getting to grip with the local lingo and daily Spanish classes. This will definitely come in handy for the rest of your trip! Then join a small-group tour to discover the highlights of Colombia including Minca, Tayrona National Park, Medellín, Guatapé and Salento, ending in Bogota.
Now it's time for some independent travel as you make your way from the Colombian capital to the town of Baños in neighbouring Ecuador. Explore the volcanoes and colonial cities of Ecuador before joining a three-week volunteer project in the Amazon, helping injured animals that call the rainforest their home.
After boosting your CV and giving back to local communities on your volunteer project, travel independently to Cusco. Along the way you can spend time in Cuenca in Ecuador, visit the off-the-beaten track Inca ruins of northern Peru and enjoy the foodie city of Lima. In Cusco join a 4-day Inca Trail Trek to arrive at Machu Picchu - the famous Lost City of the Incas.
Make your own way from Cusco to La Paz - the capital of Bolivia. Visit Lake Titicaca along the way. In La Paz you'll start a semi-independent adventure across the other-worldly Uyuni Salt Flats and Atacama desert, ending in the town of San Pedro de Atacama.
Travel independently across Chile and northern Argentina to the sultry capital of Buenos Aires, where you'll start another semi-independent adventure taking you to the spectacular cascades of Iguazu Falls and the party capital of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil where your epic gap year adventure ends.
*From price per person based on shared accommodation
What's included
- Return international flights from the UK to Cartagena and back from Rio de Janeiro
- 14-day Learn Spanish package in Cartagena with accommodation, language classes and activities
- 17-day small-group tour from Cartagena to Bogota visiting Minca, Tayrona National Park, Medellin, Guatape and Salento
- 21-day Amazon Animal Rescue Centre volunteer project in Ecuador with a Culture Week in Baños
- 4-day Inca Trail Trek with camping, guide, meals and local transport
- 4-day overland adventure from La Paz to San Pedro de Atacama via the salt flats of Bolivia and Atacama desert in Chile
- 12-day tour from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro via Iguazu Falls with accommodation, transport, activities and breakfast
- Booking fees
- Services of your own travel advisor
What's not included
- Travel insurance (but we can help you with that)
- Vaccinations (ask us about our discount with Nomad Travel)
- Meals (unless otherwise specified)
- Optional activities (but we have loads more to choose from!)
- Travel arrangements and accommodation during DIY sections of the itinerary (because we know you'll also want to travel independently on your gap year)
Suggested Itinerary:
South America Gap Year Adventure
Home - Cartagena - Bogota - Baños - Amazon Rainforest - Cusco - La Paz - San Pedro de Atacama - Buenos Aires - Iguazu Falls - Rio de Janeiro - Home
This itinerary is just a suggestion and can be customised to suit your unique travel plans. Make it longer, make it shorter. Add in the things you want to do. Get in touch with our travel experts to turn this itinerary into your dream South America gap year.
Colombia
Start your gap year in Colombia
Welcome to Colombia! And the start of your epic gap year.
We know backpacking for the first time can be a little intimidating. That's why we've set you up with various travel arrangements and cool experiences for the first month of your trip. Start with a two-week language course in the colourful Caribbean city of Cartagena on the northern coast of Colombia.
The classes are held in our Spanish school, housed in a restored colonial building with a patio and a coffee shop where you can take a break while enjoying a good Colombian coffee. Enjoy 20 lessons (50 mins each) per week from Monday to Friday in a group no bigger than eight other students.
For accommodation, choose between a homestay - for complete cultural and language immersion - or the local Selina hostel. There are also a number of activities included, such as Salsa dance classes, city bike tours and a cinema club.
You'll have picked up a good base level of Spanish to help you travel independently through South America, and there's always the option to extend if you want to progress your language skills even further.
Cartagena to Bogota
Join a small-group tour
Now it's time to venture outside of Cartagena to discover the rest of what Colombia has to offer! You'll be joining a 17-day small-group tour designed for 18-30-somethings. From Cartagena travel to the small town of Minca, where you can breathe in the fresh mountain air and hike to the Marinka Waterfalls.
Next stop is Palomino, a laid-back beach town where you can book an optional tubing activity on the nearby river. Travel into Tayrona National Park for a moderate day hike thorough the stunning landscape accompanied by a local guide before continuing to Santa Marta with free time to explore followed by a flight to Medellín.
In Medellin you'll visit the Comuna 13 neighbourhood - a neighbourhood made famous for all the wrong reasons but that has recently transformed. Next, travel to Guatape where you'll climb the giant granite stone called El Penol Rock for amazing views across the man-made reservoir on which the town is built.
Continue your adventure to Colombia's Coffee Triangle and the delightful town of Salento where you'll visit the Cocora Valley to see the giant palm trees. The final stop is Bogota - the Colombian capital - where you'll enjoy a walking tour of the charming La Candelaria neighbourhood.
Bogota to Baños
Travel independently through Ecuador
Time to put your Spanish skills to use as you start your first independent leg of your South America gap year adventure!
From Bogota make your way to the town of Baños in Ecuador. Along the way we recommend a stop in Cali, the Salsa capital of South America, and San Agustín to see the largest group of religious monuments and megalithic sculptures in South America.
Crossing into Ecuador, we suggest you start in the market town of Otavalo to stock up on some hand-crafted souvenirs before continuing to the capital of Quito. From there you can visit the Cotopaxi volcano and tackle the incredibly scenic Quilotoa Loop hike to see the impressive crater lake of Quilotoa. You could also venture east to the Pacific coast for whale watching (depending on the season and your time of travel).
In Baños you'll be joining a once-in-a-lifetime volunteering experience in the Amazon jungle.
Amazon Animal Rescue Centre
Two weeks of volunteering
In the green Ecuadorian rainforest lies the Amazon Animal Rescue Centre. Animals that have been abused, neglected, or abandoned are given a new home here. Together with volunteers the centre rescues, rehabilitates and, when possible, releases animals back to their natural environment.
You'll be joining this project as a volunteer for two weeks, getting hands-on with day-to-day activities like food preparation, general maintenance and cleaning, construction work, and helping new animal arrivals settle in.
It's an extremely rewarding volunteer project that will look great on your CV, especially if you're considering a career in animal welfare.
We've also included a Volunteer Introduction Week in Baños to help you get started. This first week gives you an idea about life in Ecuador, shows highlights of the city and its surroundings, includes 20 hours of Spanish Group lessons, an in-depth volunteer preparation including language specifics, and other fun elements such as a half-day bike tour and a half day canopy bridge tour.
Baños to Cusco
Travel independently through Peru
After your stint working with animals in the Amazon, it's time to put that backpack on again and travel onwards to Cusco in neighbouring Peru.
Making your way south through Ecuador we recommend you spend a few days in the charming city of Cuenca where you can buy a real Panama hat and take a day trip to the Parque Nacional Cajas for a spot of hiking.
Crossing into the north of Peru, you can head to the surf spot of Mancora on the coast to ride the waves or just enjoy the beach life before continuing along the coast to the cities of Chiclayo and Trujillo to see the lesser-visited pre-Columbian ruins of Chan Chan, Tucume and La Huaca del Sol.
If you're a hiking enthusiast, before reaching Lima we recommend heading into the Andes to the town of Huaraz. From here you can take your pick of spectacular treks, ranging from a few hours to a few days. In Lima spend a few days exploring the city and enjoying the culinary scene before continuing along the coast to the "poor man's" Galapagos off the coast of Paracas and the impressive group of over 700 geoglyphs in the Nazca desert.
Alternatively, take a bus from Lima straight to Cusco (but be warned, it's over 22hrs long!) or book a cheap local flight to join the next group adventure on your South America gap year.
Machu Picchu
Trek the Inca Trail to the Lost City
Machu Picchu is one of South America's best known sites. And the Inca Trail is one of the most popular, yet challenging, ways to get there. It can book out months in advance, that's why we've included a four-day guided tour.
You'll trek past rambling rivers, ancient ruins, and scenic mountain views with the guidance and support of porters, cooks, and guides hired from local communities. The terrain is rugged and steep but the sense of accomplishment you'll feel is unparalleled once you reach Machu Picchu by sunrise.
All of your camping equipment and meals are provided, so you can keep you backpack light for the trek. You'll also be travelling in a group, for a fun and social adventure with like-minded travellers that you can share your memories with.
Cusco to La Paz
Travel independently to Bolivia
After your physical challenge trekking the Inca Trail, we suggest spending a few extra days in Cusco to relax and recover.
When you're ready to continue your journey, make your way independently to La Paz - the capital city of neighbouring Bolivia. Along the way we recommend visiting the attractive colonial city of Arequipa and spending a few days on Lake Titicaca - a high altitude lake home to indigenous cultures that live on floating reed islands. The lake shares a border with both Peru and Bolivia, so it's a great entry point on the journey to La Paz.
Once you've reached La Paz, spend a few days enjoying the city. Ride a cable car to admire the high-altitude views and visit the local witches' market to see which curiosities are on sale.
La Paz to San Pedro de Atacama
Travel across the Uyuni salt flats and Atacama desert
From La Paz, embark on an unforgettable journey through the mesmerising Uyuni Salt Flats and stunning Atacama Desert. Explore surreal landscapes, vibrant lagoons, and the awe-inspiring Train Cemetery. Experience the unique beauty of Bolivia's indigenous cultures and wildlife.
This 4-day tour offers exhilarating 4x4 rides, breathtaking photo opportunities, and star-filled night skies. It includes your accommodation, local transport, meals, guides and activities. It's the best way to cross from Bolivia to Chile!
San Pedro de Atacama to Buenos Aires
Travel independently through Chile and Argentina
From the dusty town of San Pedro de Atacama, how you explore Chile and Argentina is completely your choice. The bus network in both countries is extensive, so travelling overland is easy and affordable. Another bonus is that you can zig-zag across both countries with easy border crossings.
For a rough itinerary, we recommend travelling from San Pedro in Chile to Salta in Argentina to explore the north with its indigenous influences and weathered landscapes. You can then make your way to Argentina's wine country via the city of Cordoba. In Mendoza you can't miss the opportunity to take a self-guided bike tour around the vineyards, sampling some of the finest Argentinean wines.
Crossing back into Chile, head west to the capital of Santiago where you can take a day trip to vibrant Valparaiso to admire the street art. From Santiago you can take an overnight bus (total journey time around 20hrs) to Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, for the final leg of your South American adventure.
Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro
Via the spectacular Iguazu Falls
When you arrive in Buenos Aires, join a 12-day tour that will take you to Rio de Janeiro via the spectacular Iguaza Falls - a series of cascades that straddle the border between Argentina and Brazil.
You'll start with a city tour of Buenos Aires, visiting important monuments and cultural spots, as well as the traditional neighbourhood of San Telmo where Tango performances can be seen in many bars and restaurants, and La Boca, home to a colourful immigrant population and passionate about football.
An overnight bus will take you to Puerto Iguazu where you'll spend two days visiting various spots around Iguazu Falls National Park for views from all angles!
Another overnight bus will take you to Rio - the final stop on your epic gap year adventure. Here you'll have a full day of touring, including the highlights of Tijuca Forest, Christ the Redeemer, and the colourful steps Escadaria Selaron, made famous by Snoop Dog in his music video 'Beautiful'.
Enjoy a free day to explore Rio further - we recommend heading to the famous beach of Copacabana and spending the evening at a Brazilian nightclub, known locally as a 'balada'.
Your adventure ends with a flight back home from Rio to the UK.
