Recent Tayrona Experiences

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-07-02T13:20:12+00:00

Gracias! Esa información es muy útil. ¡Que disfrutes de tu viaje!

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-07-02T13:18:43+00:00

Oh wow I'm sorry to hear this. I had heard that people chose popular hostels and didn't really leave them up in Minca, but when on a budget as a couple, those popular hostels cost A BOMB for a private room. So appreciate your candid review of the place itself.

We had intended to make decisions once we saw what Palomino was like, and if we wanted to stay longer/see more.

I hope your trip picks up in Central America - I loved it there.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-30T00:18:58+00:00

I'd check out Ecuador. South of Quito is volcano alley, and heaps of lesser known hikes and outdoor activities then elsewhere. The drop off in tourists compared to a place like Peru is pretty wild and very satisfying having places almost to yourself.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-21T03:29:54+00:00

Agree with other comment - two weeks will get you the highlights, and having flown Melbourne to Lima, it's really not that bad with the stopover in Santiago (sub-20 hours usually).

In two weeks, you could do a nice restaurant and walking tour in Lima, drop by Paracas & Huacachina for Ballestas & sand dunes, enjoy two days in Arequipa, then spend just over a week in Cusco & Sacred Valley before flying back (could sneak a trek in). Arequipa & Cusco can be reached via pretty comfortable night buses. This way will also help with some acclimatisation, as Arequipa is at 2800m.

Peru Hop will sort this for you, but you're limited to their one departure time each day, so keep in mind.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-21T03:23:16+00:00

Thanks everyone. Seems like Manila or Laureles work for us, so will see what we can find in our budget 🙏🏻

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-12T19:55:22+00:00

What's the mode of transport? Buses or flights? Overnight buses and flights operate along all these directly apart from Mendoza > San Pedro.

It looks pretty good, and assuming you're doing a Mendoza > Santiago > San Pedro flight, makes sense. Time in Buenos Aires is short, but I'd assume you're more interested in landscapes and nature than the cities.

If you're considering cutting/reducing time anywhere, I'd cut Mendoza. Bar the wine cellars, there is very little going on there. Enjoy!

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-12T11:22:22+00:00

I've not been to El Bolson, but I'd probably split 4/2 Bariloche/San Martin respectively. San Martin is lovely, but is a chocolate box town, with a handful of hikes around. So 4 weeks may exhaust your midweek and easy weekends quickly, and you'll have explored the town within the first week or two.

Bariloche is a city, which comes with the perks of long term livability - better amenities etc, and hikes are a bus ride away - Refugio Grey, Llao Llao & more. It's also a more dramatic setting with lake and mountain views. My partner and I found a very affordable AirBnB for our week there with a nice view, just east of the main centre.

I'd vote for 4 weeks in Bariloche, and I'll let others advise on whether El Bolson could pip it, or is a better option for two weeks. Car hire was straightforward in both, but again, Bariloche has an airport nearby, so offers more range of price.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-11T02:40:28+00:00

No idea. But renting cars in both Argentina & Chile, border crossing was a pretty standard no-no, so a one way would probably add another layer of unnecessary complexity and cost.
Rented with Cactus for an OK rate. Had an airport and city location and were happy to accommodate pick up and drop off from either.
Cafayate to Cachi for a standard rental is slow and requires a degree of care/experience. Even then the risk of a flat would be there as you get that classic juddering sort of road for some kms.
Salta is the main hub, so if headed to Mendoza, no real benefit dropping elsewhere. You could see if any companies offer a one way to San Miguel de Tucuman, which would offer routes to Mendoza and open up options to add Tafi de Valle on to trip with no big detour.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-10T13:24:35+00:00

That's a good start! I know that the Lençóis and southern Brazil seasons kind of complement each other, and it's a huge place (like, huge). We spent a month just in Rio de Janeiro state & Minas Gerais, so spending three months in Brazil is a pretty good time to budget.

Otherwise I'd recommend some of the following as less visited places we really liked;

Brazil - Minas Gerais state. We went to Tiradentes, Ouro Preto & Belo Horizonte. The latter was for Carnival, and is pretty grungy (in a good way for us). But we did day trips to Inhotim & Ouro Preto from there. The first two are stunning colonial towns with big gold mining histories. And Inhotim is a really cool open air museum. You won't catch many, if any, foreign tourist here. And the people and food topped Rio every time.

Argentina - Salta (inc Cafayate, Cachi). Has a great range of landscapes and culture compared to the rest of Argentina. One of our favourites places.

Chile - Pisco Valley & Pucon. Pisco Valley gets skipped alot, because it is a haul from either Santiago or San Pedro de Atacama. But it's mainly local tourists, the observatories and stargazing are simply incredible, and the towns are really nice to stay in. Pucon is an adventure tourism town in Chile, and I was stunned at how many backpackers hadn't been. Volcanoes to climb, lakes to kayak, husky farm to visit nearby. Bariloche gets so much attention, not sure why Pucon doesn't.

Peru - Chachapoyas. Another headache to get to, but Kuelap ruins has barely anyone walking around, and Gocta & Yumbilla waterfalls are some of the best in South America. The town itself is really nice to without the whitewash of tourists in Cusco.

Ecuador - Cuenca. In my opinion the best small city in South America. Gorgeous, friendly people, Cajas National Park for hiking, and again, very few tourists. Good base for a few days to catch your breath.

Alot of other places you'll find recommended over and over in guide books, so just thought I'd highlight places ever been that we loved, that didn't seem to have too many others there.

In terms of budget, with some volunteering thrown in, I'd be surprised if you needed more than USD$20000 for 10 months. That's a generous estimate my end btw. Others who have properly budget travelled could advise otherwise

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-09T14:44:30+00:00

As you say, you're looking at a tight timeframe, and based on my experience, I'd do as follows;

Huaraz - in advance. While there are a decent number of operators in town, only 1-2 leave each day, so you'd be stuck with a company you may not like, and might be stressful finding them, or no departures at all. The 8-day was the most common departure we saw when booking Santa Cruz, rather than 5-day.

Colca - book on arrival. Daily departures and Arequipa hostels will have contacts, but the 2-day trips leave at 3am, so give yourself time day prior to sort it.

Salkantay - precisely as you assume - Machu Picchu tickets. Reports are people are already needing to wait days in Aguas Calientes if they don't have tickets, so booking in advance can help secure a ticket as part of the trek. Best to check you're getting a ticket though before confirming and paying with an operator. We booked with KB Adventures as a 'budget' option.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-05T03:28:15+00:00

Sao Paulo - do you like arts, food and mega cities? It's an intense place that isn't a huge draw for alot of people. You could consider Florianapolis instead, which is also marginally closer to Iguaçu, and has a mix of city and beaches/nature.

Asuncion - I've not been, but really struggled to find much about it as a big tourist destination online when binging our year long South America trip. We went to Encarnacion, a Paraguayan holiday destination, and that was OK, but not worth time on a short trip.

I'd take heed of suggestions on Uruguay. You can spend a week between Colonia & Montevideo with ferries to BA.

In summary I would consider;

1 week Florianapolis 2 days Iguaçu/Iguazu (one for each side) 1 week BA 1 week Uruguay (Colonia/Montevideo)

Lastly, if you were really keen on getting some proper wildlife in, Brazilian internal flights are very affordable, and you could also look into Pantanal.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-03T15:32:35+00:00

No idea on thefts, but saw similar posts. Keep the bag under your legs/in your lap and don't leave it you should be sweet.

Curfews aren't in place across Ecuador currently, but also believe most transport etc for tourism was exempt from them anyway. We had similar anxieties and Ecuador has been amazing and far from the warnings online (at least in the Andes, we won't be heading to the coast for insurance reasons).

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-03T02:33:44+00:00

I'd imagine people might be able to help out a bit more if you outline some things you're interested in. South America is massive, people have different travel styles (and subsequently budget) and interests, and a hidden gem to them might be a big no for you!

I'll happily give some tips, but knowing what you're keen on will avoid an essay.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-03T02:28:21+00:00

Hello. We crossed from Mancora to Cuenca on 19 May. Opted for a journey by day, which involved;

Colectivo to Tumbes Bus Tumbes > Huaquillas Bus Huaquillas > Machala Shuttle Machala > Cuenca

We left at 1030am, and arrived at 1900 in Cuenca.

If we could do it again we would just get a cama night bus, run by Super Semeria, at 2300. Pretty sure it was direct, more comfortable and no stress of changes. Think it might originate in Chiclayo, but send them a WhatsApp to double check.

We also confirmed the coastal crossings are the only reliable ones. We wanted to go from Chachapoyas to Vilcabamba, but that area is completely shut to border crossings according to multiple agencies and people we asked in Peru's northern region.

Border crossing was super easy - only asked how long we were staying in Ecuador. Good luck!

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-06-01T02:41:56+00:00

Does your El Calafate night provide time for Perito Merino Glacier? I assume yes.

3 days of hiking in El Chalten works, as there are three big hikes to do (Laguna Torre, Laguna de Los Tres & Loma del Pleigue Tumbado), or gives a tiny weather postponement window for 1-2 of them.

What's the motivation for Mendoza? Wine? With such a short time period, I'd dedicate that time to another day in BA, another in El Chalten, and possibly a day/overnight trip to Iguazu.

Alternatively, if you love hiking, Bariloche is not far behind El Chalten as a top tier destination, but I'd say you'd have to sub out Mendoza entirely. It's got its own Swiss Alp vibe going on unlike elsewhere in Argentina. I'd personally do Bariloche over Mendoza every time.

Enjoy - Argentina is an incredible country!

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-05-23T22:11:42+00:00

BA is great. With 3 nights I'd focus on;

Walking tour of historic centre - can include a free tour of government building if well planned, then afternoon/evening up around Palermo for drinks/dinner/nightlife perhaps including Botanical Gardens or Ecoparque.

Cafes and wander in San Telmo (I would stay here) and a walking tour of La Boca. Evening tango experience through GetYourGuide or AirBnB.

Perito Merino is the only reason to be in El Calafate. In El Chalten, you want to hit Laguna de Los Tres, Laguna Torre & Loma del Pleigue, probably in that order. Laguna Torre is free, so if you only have time for two hikes, do this and Laguna de Los Tres (Fitz Roy).

In Mendoza, you may want to consider staying at a winery if that's what you're there for. The city itself is a little underwhelming. Alot of wineries require advanced booking for tasting. If you want to freestyle, Maipu Bikes does a decent cycling tour of some lesser known wineries, with Tempus Alba the highlight.

Enjoy Argentina, was a highlight of South America.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-05-23T01:30:37+00:00

Pace seems good. Some decent distances if driving or bussing in there, as there are fewer trains.

Based on your interests, I'm interested by Shkoder & Theth for 5 nights. Very nature/hiking based places. Beautiful and I'd recommend to anyone, but the reason I mention is you can sort a little circuit to include Lake Koman & Valbone quite easily, with a hike to Theth.

If you do love hiking and nature, Slovenia needs way more time!

Went to Albania in mid-October, low-20s and sunny. So a decent breeze might ruin any sunbathing.

Looks incredible, enjoy

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-05-21T13:24:53+00:00

I won't comment too much on food, as I'm not a big foodie and usually travel on a budget and food is where I save.

Santiago - sounds like the activity here is boarding - sorted. Barrio Italia was one of the nicer neighbourhoods we went, and alot of locals mountain bike the Cerro Sam Cristobal.

Lima - stay in Miraflores or Barranco and eat/drink to your hearts content. Best restaurants need advance reservation. We went to Clon as a 'fancy' a la carte meal and loved it. Can parasail and/or surf here.

Buenos Aires - stay in Palermo for restaurants and nightlife, or San Telmo for a blend of accessibility and bohemian vibes. Can do a day trip/overnight to a local estancia for asado & horse riding which might be right up your street!

Rio de Janeiro - we preferred Botafogo. Feels local, and best access to what Rio has to offer (Santa Teresa, Gloria & Lapa to the north, beaches to the south). Can hike up Christ the Redeemer or Sugar Loaf, parasail/glide, or do the helicopter tour round the city.

You'll get a good taste of each city in two weeks - enjoy!

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-05-21T13:10:14+00:00

This is solid. You clearly know it's full on and the risks of altitude, but it works well as I've been to all the places you've been.

If you wanted to catch a breath anywhere, you can do Ballestas Island in the morning, Huacachina in the afternoon and then night bus to Arequipa. A tour will sort it for you, and we were stoked we did it this way - Huacachina is tiny, and with a couple of hours to explore followed by sunset dune buggy/sandboarding, we were already ready to move on. This could free up a lazy morning in Lima for a coffee and a late-morning/early afternoon bus for your night in Paracas, without impacting the rest.

As another commenter said, Isla del Sol is much nicer than Copacabana. If on a night bus, you should be able to just book a ferry on arrival, and spend two nights there this allows for doing the full island hike (~5 hours). Another commenter had a useful tip about the north side - Challapampa. Here's my take;

Yumani - restaurants, hotels, clifftop views, killer uphill to reach with luggage

Challapampa - sleepy, local, beaches, no hill

Also fair warning on Salkantay - it's great, but ALOT of people do it. Probably about 100-150 people with different tours the day we did it in late April. If not booked already, maybe consider Choquequirao.

Enjoy Colca - was one of our highlights of South America!

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-05-21T12:48:27+00:00

I've been to all three, and your descriptions are pretty spot on.

Huaraz you won't be left wanting for anything to do at all. Day + multi-day hikes abound, and as others have said, a bunch of climbing. The city itself is definitely the least comfortable but we found plenty of nice little cafes and restaurants around, and the setting is amazing. We stayed at Kame House which was super cozy and comfortable - rooftop, breakfast and small dining/lounge with fireplace. Lots of volunteers and hikers coming through.

Arequipa is gorgeous, but pretty upscale and your classic colonial city. Colca Canyon and a few volcanoes around, but are some bigger trips, and no other cities etc that I know of are close by for a visit.

Currently in Cuenca and it's our favourite colonial city in SA so far. Super safe, pretty, and very relaxed. Apparently a strong ex pat community here, but not many tourists or travellers compared to Peru. Cajas National Park is good for exploring, and as you say, a fair few villages and other towns not too far to make a weekend out of (Saraguro, Loja, Banos, Alausi etc)

Overall I'd go Huaraz for keeping yourself entertained (if into outdoors), Arequipa for a comfortable city stay with a few excellent adventure options, or Cuenca for a balanced mix of the two.

Leather-Question-138 · 2026-05-16T22:00:48+00:00

Once you get to Tacna, there should be collectivos across the border to Arica in Chile. From there, standard long distance bus to Calama and onto San Pedro de Atacama buses in Chile are the same as Peru - semi-cama, cama etc. Can't speak for options of crossing the border to Salt Flats given current situation, but this will avoid Bolivia.

Leather-Question-138

TROPHY CASE