Central & South America Adventure Tours

Yes! South America is one of the world’s greatest adventure travel destinations, with an extraordinary diversity of landscapes packed into one massive land mass. You can trek among the granite peaks and glaciers of Patagonia, hike ancient Inca trails through the Andes, explore the Amazon rainforest, or encounter wildlife in the Galápagos.

One characteristic that makes South America so exceptional is that the adventure experience almost always goes beyond the trail or the river. Most trips combine active activities like hiking or kayaking with visits to historic sites, immersion in Indigenous and local communities, dining on regional food, and learning cultural traditions.

South America is one of MT Sobek’s most popular destinations, with thousands of guests per year joining us for hiking and trekking tours in Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador; adventure cruises in Patagonia and the Galapagos; and multi-adventure or cultural immersion journeys across the continent.

Yes! Central America is a fantastic adventure travel destination, particularly for travelers who want to experience a tremendous amount of variety without having to travel enormous distances. In a relatively compact region, you can hike active volcanoes, explore tropical rainforests, trek to Mayan pyramids deep in the jungle, raft whitewater rivers, kayak rugged coastlines, snorkel and dive in the Caribbean and more.
At MT Sobek, we offer hiking and multi-adventure tours in Costa Rica and Guatemala that combine hiking, rafting, and kayaking through rainforests, jungles, coastlines, and mountains.

The best regions for adventure travel in Central and South America include Patagonia (in Argentina and Chile), the Peruvian Andes, the Galápagos Islands, the Amazon, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the highlands of Guatemala. Each area offers a very different experience, from multi-day mountain treks to tropical wildlife encounters and whitewater rafting.

Patagonia and Peru are the standout destinations for wilderness or big mountain hiking, with famous destinations such as the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Huayhuash ranges of Peru, Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and the Fitz Roy massif in Argentina. Peru also combines spectacular Andean trekking with amazing Inca history, particularly around Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. Ecuador offers both high-altitude adventures in the Andes and extraordinary wildlife in the Galápagos, while the Amazon provides an entirely different experience centered on rainforests, rivers, and biodiversity. In Central America, Costa Rica is especially strong for hiking, whitewater rafting, wildlife, and multi-adventure travel, while Guatemala pairs volcano trekking with Maya culture and the dramatic landscapes around Lake Atitlán.

Hiking and trekking, wildlife viewing, rafting, kayaking and multisport adventures rank as the top adventure activities in Central and South America. Hiking and trekking are especially popular in Patagonia and the Andes, including classic routes in Torres del Paine National Park and around Machu Picchu in Peru. Wildlife adventures and luxury expedition cruises are a major draw in the Galápagos. Multi-sport adventures are extremely popular in the Amazon and Costa Rica, while rafting and kayaking capitalize on the region’s wild rivers and coastlines.

The best time for adventure travel in Central and South America depends completely on which area you’re visiting. The region stretches from north of the equator to the southern tip of Patagonia, so there is no single adventure travel season—and all year long you can find somewhere that is at its best.

For Patagonia, the prime hiking season generally runs from November through March, during the Southern Hemisphere’s late spring, summer, and early fall months. Peru and much of the central Andes are typically best for trekking during the drier months of May through September. In Central America, including Costa Rica and Guatemala, December through April generally brings drier conditions that are best for hiking, wildlife viewing, and multi-adventure experiences. Destinations such as the Galápagos and Amazon can be visited year-round, although seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, wildlife behavior, water levels, and ocean conditions can impact the experience.

What you should pack for a South America adventure depends on exactly where and when you’re going, and what you’re doing. In terms of clothing, packing layers is critical, so you can adjust to varying conditions. Weather can change dramatically over the course of a single trip—especially in Patagonia and the Andes, where wind, rain, snow, strong sun, cold temperatures, and significant elevation changes can all be part of the experience.
For an active trip, start with comfortable, broken-in hiking footwear, moisture-wicking clothing like fleece or wool, insulating layers that can include down or synthetic, a waterproof rain jacket and pants, sun protection, and a comfortable daypack. Trekking poles make a difference on steep trails, or if you’re hiking with a multi-day backpack. Warm hats and gloves are recommended at higher elevations and in Patagonia. Tropical destinations such as the Amazon and Galapagos call for lightweight, quick-drying clothing and insect protection. Always check the packing list for your specific itinerary rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all South America packing list.

The most popular adventure tours in Central and South America include trekking in Patagonia on routes like the W Trek and the O Circuit, hiking to Machu Picchu in Peru via the Salkantay route or Inca Trail, wildlife adventures in the Galápagos Islands and Amazon, and multi-adventure tours in Costa Rica.

In general, yes—many of South America’s most popular travel destinations are regularly visited by tourists and international travelers. However, South America is a massive continent, and safety can vary considerably by country, region, and even neighborhood.

Major adventure and tourist destinations have well-developed infrastructure, and are generally very safe. You should still take normal precautions, particularly in larger cities, where petty theft and other crime can be relatively common. Before traveling, review current US State Department advisories for each country you plan to visit. Traveling with an experienced tour operator like MT Sobek can also simplify transportation, logistics, and decision-making in unfamiliar areas, while increasing your margin of safety.

It’s not necessary to be an elite athlete to join an adventure tour in Central or South America, but at a minimum you should be physically healthy and exercise regularly. The exact fitness required for your adventure varies considerably by the itinerary you join. Some tours feature relatively easy walks, wildlife viewing, and cultural experiences, while more demanding trips can require full days of hiking with significant elevation gain, rugged terrain, and consecutive challenging days.