The best places to visit Latin America

Brazil

Many of our favorite destinations in Brazil strike a balance between protecting the incredible natural environment while also offering amazing experiences. In the country’s interior, you’ll find one of the world’s largest wetland areas – the Pantanal – and the remote refuge of Casa Caiman. This environmentally conscious hotel is set at the heart of a 53,000-hectare oasis. You can spot jaguars in the wild with the Onçafari conservation project.

Farther north, Cristalino Jungle Lodge is the perfect place to experience the wonders of the Amazon first-hand and simultanousely enjoy playing Hellspin. It’s located within a huge forest reserve and relies on renewable building materials, natural ventilation systems, permaculture, and solar panels to work in harmony with the natural environment.

Panama

Panama has plenty to offer outside its capital city as well. We love the new Nayara Bocas del Toro, a true tropical paradise featuring private overwater villas in the Caribbean Sea. You can go glamping in the San Blas Islands, meet the Emberá people in the Darién province, or spend a week sailing between Panama and Costa Rica on a brand-new luxury yacht – including a few nights on your private island.

Chile

Chile’s sheer variety of landscapes astound. The desolate Atacama Desert, lush green undulating wine valleys, snow-capped volcanoes of the Lake District, and windswept plains of Torres del Paine keep us coming back year after year. In 2024 we want to journey a little further, to places like Chiloé, Aisén, or Navarino Island. The rewards of longer trips mean exploring coastlines, islands, and national parks away from the crowds. We also have the chance to delve into the Indigenous culture of the Mapuche.

Our travel designer Charles has been on the ground exploring. We’ve been hearing wonderful things about Explora Patagonia National Park, an intimate and peaceful lodge. From here you can navigate some of the world’s most crystalline waters on the Cochrane River, mountain bike across the Patagonian steppe, or attempt a high mountain ascent of Tamango or Oportus.

Antarctica

We know Antarctica isn’t technically part of Latin America. Combining it with Chile or Argentina creates an incredible three- or four-week trip. This is a destination unlike any other. If you want to embark on a truly remote and thrilling adventure, challenging yourself in extreme conditions, we can’t recommend the White Continent enough in 2024.

You can reach Antarctica by sailing the Drake Passage from Ushuaia, or do a fly-in cruise from Chile to save time. When it comes to ships, we recommend Sylvia Earle, which has the world’s lowest-polluting marine engines, or the Magellan Explorer. It re-uses heat from the engine to warm up the ship – among many other environmentally conscious initiatives. Both of these ships are adventure-oriented, with spacious suites, lovely lounge areas, and observation decks, and state-of-the-art educational facilities.

Our travel designers Jen and Lily have both returned from Antarctica with incredible stories of sleeping out on the ice, kayaking with whales, and extremely brave ice swims. Make sure to keep in mind the best times to visit Antarctica, as some months bring harsh and inhospitable conditions.

Colombia

There are so many reasons to go to Colombia, from the lively cities of Bogotá and Medellín to the coastal paradises of Cartagena and Tayrona. In 2024, we’ll be recommending destinations that have seen the most positive change in the past few years. Latin America’s most exclusive accommodation for travelers is the highland town of Barichara. The next ones are the tropical grasslands of Los Llanos and the seaside village of Bahía Solano.

While Colombia’s larger cities offer all the usual urban attractions such as world-class restaurants and museums. These places provide the kind of peaceful escape that only small towns can offer. They also have a growing selection of boutique hotels like Casa Barichara, where you’ll feel right at home.

According to our travel designer Jen, Colombia is one of the best places in Latin America for an off-the-beaten-track honeymoon. You can escape to secluded beach villas, hilltop retreats, and luxurious hotels in Bogotá or Cartagena for candle-lit dinners and rooftop sundowners.

Peru

Our travel designer David hails from Peru and has travelled extensively across the country. For places to stay, he recommends Sol y Luna in the Sacred Valley and the converted monastery of Palacio Nazarenas in Cusco.

Machu Picchu attracts millions of international visitors a year for a reason. It is well worth visiting – but there are so many other things to do in Peru. The Sacred Valley and Choquequirao have their own Inca ruins, while Trujillo and Chiclayo are charming cities to explore. And then there’s Lima: a bustling metropolis with a well-earned reputation as one of the best cities in Latin America for food.

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