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Few places stir the imagination like Latin America. With ancient cities high in the Andes, rainforests alive with birdsong, and colourful towns made for wandering, adventure abounds here. From Belize’s jungle temples and Colombia’s coffee-growing hills to Brazil’s sprawling wetlands and Chile’s lunar-like landscapes, there’s always something new to discover.
To help you plan your trip, we’ve partnered with responsible travel company Explore, who have been taking small groups on adventure holidays for over 40 years. Their tours combine famous sights with lesser-known places and unique opportunities to get to know the people who live there.
Groups average just 11 people, giving you the chance to meet like-minded travellers, while expert tour leaders bring each destination’s culture and history to life. With accommodation and transport arranged for you, you can focus on enjoying the trip and immersing yourself in every experience.
Here are nine reasons to put Latin America on your travel wish list.
1. Follow the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, so seeing it for the first time is always special. But arriving on foot makes that first glimpse even more rewarding. On Peru’s Inca Trail, the journey is part of the attraction, and throughout this iconic trek you’ll have plenty of time to stop and savour the views. Hike up ancient stone stairways, past hillside ruins, and through misty cloud forest on your way to this 15th-century Inca citadel. On the fourth day, you’ll reach the Sun Gate and get your first view of Machu Picchu as it unfolds beneath you.
Explore’s Walk Peru’s Inca Trail and Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain is ideal if you want walking to be a big part of your holiday, with a four-day trek, three nights of camping, and a guided tour of Machu Picchu. It’s a demanding walk at altitude, so you’ll need a good level of fitness. Elsewhere on the trip, you’ll explore Cusco’s historic streets, visit Lake Titicaca’s floating reed islands, and walk along the colourful peaks of Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain.
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£501 off | Peru | 14 days
Save up to 20% on selected Peru tours departing throughout 2027. Ends September 24th.
Includes taxes and fees
2. Discover Cartagena’s Caribbean character, Colombia
Set on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, Cartagena is a city made for wandering. Inside the old city walls, you’ll find colourful buildings, cobbled streets, shady plazas, and historic churches – and getting lost is all part of the fun. Take your time to see what’s around the next corner, sample tasty street food like arepas (golden cornmeal cakes, often stuffed), carimañolas (cassava croquettes), and patacones (crisp, twice-fried green plantain), and sip a cold drink while watching the city buzz around you.
On Explore’s Contrasts of Colombia, Cartagena is the finale to a journey that takes you to Bogotá’s bustling markets, Zipaquirá’s Salt Cathedral, and the historic lanes of Villa de Leyva. You’ll have time to explore the city independently before visiting the nearby fishing village of La Boquilla, where you’ll meet local women at a craft cooperative and try making something yourself. Then head to the beach for a music and dance workshop exploring the area’s Afro-Colombian traditions.
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Explore Contrasts of Colombia*
Colombia | 14 days
Small group adventures. Don't just travel, Explore!
Includes taxes and fees
3. Get a taste of Peru’s food culture
If trying the local food is one of your favourite parts of a trip, Peru has plenty to look forward to. Its food culture is shaped by Indigenous, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese influences, with dishes ranging from fresh, citrus-marinated ceviche to spicy potato stews. On Explore’s Upgraded – Discover Peru, you’ll get a taste of this variety through market visits, cooking demonstrations, and meals with local communities.
In Lima, browse seafood and tropical fruit at Surquillo Market, and watch a chef prepare ceviche. Eat at a traditional picantería in Arequipa, where you can try stuffed peppers and the purple-corn drink chicha morada. You’ll meet a potato farmer and sample some of the colourful varieties he grows, enjoy a three-course lunch on the Titicaca Train, and share a meal with the Misminay community under the Andean stars. Plus, you’ll look for condors at Colca Canyon, explore Lake Titicaca by boat, and visit Machu Picchu by train, staying in comfortable hotels along the way.
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Explore Upgraded - Discover Peru*
£554 off | Peru | 15 days
Save up to 20% on selected Peru tours departing throughout 2027. Ends September 24th.
Includes taxes and fees
4. Stretch your legs in Patagonia, Chile
If you’re a passionate hiker and love exploring wide-open spaces, Patagonia is a top choice. In Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, jagged peaks tower above turquoise glacial lakes, and winding paths lead to viewpoints where you’ll want to stop and take it all in. On Explore’s Adventures in Patagonia, you’ll stay inside the national park, spot wildlife around Lake Sarmiento, visit the Cascada Paine waterfall, and hike beside Lake Pehoé to Mirador Cuernos.
Across the border in Argentina, you’ll also visit the vast Perito Moreno Glacier, enjoy a guided hike through the forests below Mount Fitz Roy, and walk among the lakes and mountains of Tierra del Fuego. There’s city life to enjoy along the way, too; in Buenos Aires, explore La Boca’s brightly painted houses and San Telmo’s historic streets, stopping for coffee and pastries at local cafés. With long travel days and some challenging optional hikes, this is a trip suited to those who enjoy being active.
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Explore Adventures in Patagonia*
Argentina & Chile | 14 days
Small group adventures. Don't just travel, Explore!
Includes taxes and fees
5. Look for wildlife in Brazil’s Pantanal
Brazil’s Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland and home to an extraordinary variety of wildlife. You might see capybaras gathering at the water’s edge, catch sight of a caiman slipping beneath the surface, or head out on a jeep safari in search of tapirs, deer, and armadillos. Toucans, herons, and hundreds of other tropical bird species live here, so there’s plenty to keep birdwatchers busy, too.
On Explore’s Pure Brazil, you’ll spend two full days exploring the wetlands from a riverside lodge, with time between outings to relax by the pool or listen to the birds from a hammock. You can also join an optional boat excursion to search for jaguars. Plus, you’ll stay in an Amazon rainforest lodge, explore Salvador’s cobbled streets, and see Iguazu Falls from both Brazil and Argentina. Then, in Rio, take a cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain to admire sweeping views of the city and coastline.
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Explore Pure Brazil*
Brazil | 14 days
Small group adventures. Don't just travel, Explore!
Includes taxes and fees
6. Explore Chile’s otherworldly Atacama Desert
Home to vast salt flats, wind-sculpted ridges, and shimmering lagoons where flamingos gather, Chile’s Atacama Desert can feel like another planet. Explore’s Highlights of Chile takes you along the length of this slender country, from the Atacama in the north to Torres del Paine in the Patagonian south. Along the way, you’ll visit the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, set high among the hulking volcanoes of the Andes.
Wander the town’s dusty streets, browse boutique shops, and admire adobe churches before driving to the aptly named Moon Valley, where dunes and jagged rock formations stretch into the horizon. Out on the Atacama salt flat, look for flamingos wading in the waters of Laguna Chaxa, and visit the El Tatio geysers at dawn, when columns of steam rise into the chilly air. The Atacama is one of the world’s best stargazing spots, so why not make the most of the dark skies with an astronomy tour?
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Chile | 13 days
Small group adventures. Don't just travel, Explore!
Includes taxes and fees
7. Sip your morning coffee at its source, Colombia
A good cup of coffee is one of life’s little joys, and if your day doesn’t begin until you’ve had your first sip, Colombia’s coffee region is a wonderful place to wake up. Plantations spread across the green slopes of the Andean foothills, and enjoying a freshly brewed cup in the hills where it was grown makes this morning ritual feel even more special. The mountain views are just another reason to linger over breakfast.
On Explore’s Upgraded – Highlights of Colombia, you’ll stay in premium hotels, including a finca-style property in the heart of coffee country. At Finca del Café, learn how the beans are grown, picked, and roasted before tasting two speciality varieties during a guided ‘cupping’ session. You’ll also wander among colourful orchids at family-owned Finca Romelia, enjoy lunch with your hosts, and watch for hummingbirds in the gardens. Beyond the coffee region, the tour visits Medellín’s vibrant Comuna 13 neighbourhood and Cartagena’s historic walled city.
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£150 off | Colombia | 8 days
Small group adventures. Don't just travel, Explore!
Includes taxes and fees
8. Combine jungle ruins with island life, Belize
For a Central American adventure, Belize offers a unique mix of jungle trails, ancient temples, and laidback island life. This is a country where a journey to an ancient Maya city can be as memorable as the ruins themselves. As you travel upriver to Lamanai, you’ll pass thick rainforest, looking out for waterbirds and perhaps even crocodiles along the banks. Step ashore and follow shady trails between towering trees to explore huge stone temples, keeping an ear out for the haunting calls of howler monkeys.
Explore’s Belize wildlife holiday also visits the Maya site of Xunantunich and crosses into Guatemala to explore the temples of Tikal. Along the way, you’ll look for birds at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary and visit the Community Baboon Sanctuary in search of black howler monkeys. Your tour ends on Caye Caulker, where you can relax by the sea or head out on a boat to discover life beneath the waves. Optional snorkelling trips take you to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley.
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Explore Discover Belize*
Belize & Guatemala | 13 days
Small group adventures. Don't just travel, Explore!
Includes taxes and fees
9. Feel the force of Iguazú Falls, Brazil and Argentina
Straddling the border between Brazil and Argentina, Iguazú Falls is a place you’ll hear long before you see it. Hundreds of cascades tumble over forest-fringed cliffs with a deafening roar, sending clouds of spray billowing into the air. While the views from a distance are impressive, getting closer to the churning water reveals the true scale and power of the falls. From the walkway opposite the Devil’s Throat, you can watch as torrents of water plunge into the gorge below.
On Explore’s Buenos Aires to Rio, you’ll first explore the Argentinian side, where walkways take you close to the cascades. The following day, an optional visit to the Brazilian side offers a sweeping view of the falls from a different perspective. Later, there’s also time to relax; you can wander Paraty’s cobbled streets and follow forest trails to the white sands of Lopes Mendes on Ilha Grande. Finish in Rio, where you’ll explore the hilltop neighbourhood of Santa Teresa and admire the coastline from the foot of Christ the Redeemer.
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Explore Buenos Aires to Rio*
£200 off | Argentina & Brazil | 13 days
Small group adventures. Don't just travel, Explore!
Includes taxes and fees
Final thoughts…
Whether you’ve always dreamed of seeing Machu Picchu, want to spot wildlife in the jungle, are keen to try new flavours, or just fancy kicking back on the Caribbean coast, there are plenty of reasons to make Latin America your next big adventure.
Whatever draws you to this part of the world, it’s often the unexpected moments that stay with you longest: sharing a meal with local hosts, spotting an animal you’ve never seen before, or discovering a town you wish you had another day to explore.
Explore’s small-group tours bring these experiences together, with expert tour leaders to help you get to know each destination and fellow travellers to share the journey with. From food and wildlife to challenging hikes and relaxed sightseeing, you can find a trip that suits your interests and pace.