Top Five Things to Do in South America
Plan your trip around the best things to do in South America, according to Collette’s experienced tour designers.
June 24, 2026
7 minute read
If you’re planning a trip to South America, the big questions are where to go and what to do. The good news is that South America is filled with places to go where you can experience the energy, vibrant colours, strong culture, and sense of individuality across the countries.
Tour Designer Sam Kern has spent years designing Collette's South America Tours, and she still describes arriving at Machu Picchu as feeling like a religious experience. "I was like, is this really my life?" she said. "Pictures don't do it justice."
Whether you're watching 121 square miles of glacier calve into a Patagonian lake, learning to tango from a professional dancer in a Buenos Aires milonga where you're the only travellers, or sitting down to lunch with a family in Peru's Sacred Valley who just walked you through how they harvest and weave, the things you’ll experience in South America will stay with you long after the journey ends.
In this post, you’ll see some of the best things to do in South America, including five experiences that are highlights for travellers on our tours.
What Are the Best Things to Do in South America?
The best things to do in South America include:
Exploring historic sites
Savouring the food
Immersing yourself in local culture
Wildlife tours and experiences
Market visits and cooking experiences
Meeting local people
These are the types of experiences our Tour Designers weave together on Collette’s tours.
Top Five Things to Experience in South America
For this post, we’re focusing on five experiences worth planning a trip around. Once you know what you want to do the most, you can choose other activities in the same region.
1. Explore an Ancient World in Peru
Almost everyone travelling to South America has seen Machu Picchu in a photograph and imagined visiting. What the photographs don't capture is the feeling you get when you walk up and see the citadel sitting at over 7,900 feet, wrapped in cloud forest.
On Collette’s Peru Tours, travellers spend a night in Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. Staying overnight gives you more time to explore Machu Picchu and the surrounding area. The Sacred Valley holds ruins and markets, and Puno sits at over 12,000 feet on the shores of Lake Titicaca — the highest navigable lake in the world.
In this part of Peru, you’ll walk across ancient stonework, see traditional farming practices in use, and talk to people who carry cultural knowledge forward through the generations.
2. Taste Your Way Through Chile and Argentina
South American food is one of the most immediate ways to experience different regions. Savouring different flavours, seeing where ingredients come from, and sharing meals with local families (something our designers include on Collette’s tours) gives you a deeper understanding than you’ll get in a restaurant.
In Santiago, Chile, visit the fish markets where locals shop and vendors call out the day’s catch. On our Essential South America small group tour, we visit the markets with a local chef, who explains ingredients commonly used in Chilean cooking. The experience continues with a cooking class where you’ll make lunch from market-fresh ingredients.
In Argentina, visit Mendoza, the premier wine region known for Malbec. It’s set in the middle of a high desert with the snow‑capped Andes as a backdrop — very different from the green vineyards of other wine regions. Here you’ll find boutique wineries that cater to smaller groups.
Sounds delicious, right? Learn more about our small group tour to Chile and Argentina in this virtual event with Tour Designer Sam K.
3. Experience the Nightlife in South American Cities
South American cities come alive in the evening. Venturing out after dark offers a different perspective.
In Buenos Aires, nightlife features music and conversation at informal venues. You can take part in a tango lesson at a private studio, then head to a neighbourhood tango spot and try your moves out with the locals. If dancing is not for you, grab a drink and watch the night unfold.
On our tours, Sam chooses hotels in walkable neighborhoods, like the Recoleta in Buenos Aires where street art, restaurants, bookshops, and cafés all beckon you to explore.
4. See Wildlife in the Galápagos or Patagonia
South America offers some wildly different wildlife experiences. Two of the best destinations for wildlife viewing are the Galápagos and Patagonia.
In the Galápagos, sea lions lounge on the paths. Blue-footed boobies nest a few feet from where you're standing. Marine iguanas stack on rocks in the sun. Under the water, snorkelling reveals sea turtles, reef sharks and rays
If you visit the Galápagos with Collette, you’ll stay on a privately-chartered ship and take Zodiac boats ashore. Guided by an expert naturalist, you’ll get to explore in small groups following regulations for responsible wildlife encounters whilst learning about the endemic species.
Find tours that include the Galápagos
In Patagonia, condors circle above Torres del Paine. Penguins waddle along the shore near Punta Arenas. On Collette's Patagonia: Edge of the World small group tour, travellers can immerse themselves in the wild through experiences like a Zodiac raft outing that puts you at eye level with dolphins.
5. Connect With Local Hosts and Families
Across South America, some of the most meaningful moments happen over a shared meal or simple conversation. Collette tours include experiences that connect travellers with people who welcome you into their homes for a meal and stories about family traditions.
For example, on tours to Peru, you might be invited to a home‑hosted dinner in Puno or share a meal with the community in the Sacred Valley whilst they share stories about their farming and weaving traditions.
In Argentina, you can visit an estancia, a family-run ranch where gauchos explain how they live and work. Travellers explore on horseback, by horse-drawn carriage, or on foot, before sitting down for an asado-style lunch: lamb and beef cooked over an open fire, with empanadas and wine.
See more of the cultural moments and hidden gems included on Collette’s South American guide tours.
Guided Tours with Collette Mean More Access and Less Planning
South America is a big continent with many places to go. Collette’s guided tours are designed to let you experience different regions at a pace that is manageable. Our Tour Designers thoughtfully plan a mix of iconic experiences and moments that would be hard to find without local connections.
Because these trips are designed by people who understand the logistics, pacing, and local relationships behind each destination, travellers spend less time figuring things out — and more time experiencing what they came for.
The result is a trip that exceeds expectations with access to off-the-beaten track locations and local families and businesses who share their lives with you.
“The extra touch was visiting native families and having traditional food and learning more about their culture.” — Collette traveller, Machu Picchu & Galápagos Wonders
Best of all, when you book with Collette, you’re done with 90% of your trip planning, and you can take advantage of some of the best travel insurance in the business (a great perk in uncertain times).
See all Collette South America Tours
FAQs About Travelling South America
What Kind of Traveller Enjoys South America the Most?
South America appeals to travellers who enjoy culture, food, nature, and conversation with local people.
Is South America Mostly About Nature, or Culture Too?
Both. Countries like Peru offer deep cultural experiences rooted in history and daily life, whilst tours to the Galápagos and Patagonia focus on wildlife and landscapes. Many trips blend the two.
Do You Need to Visit Multiple Countries to Have a Great Experience?
Not at all. Many travellers have more satisfying trips by focusing on one area and going deeper. South America is well suited to return visits.
Is South America a Good Choice for a First Trip?
For many travellers, yes — especially with a guided approach that helps manage travel logistics.
How Do I Choose What to Do in South America?
If you’re still undecided, you can check out our post about different places in South America or take the quiz to find a tour that fits you.
