Best country in SA for a organised group tour..2014 6mths

Hey guys, planning a 6 month trip to SA in 2014, starting Feb. Plan to do a mixture of independent and organised travel but not sure which country would be the most cost effective country to do a organised group tour in. Travel agent has told me Bolivia but would like some more opinions on it... Also, thoughts about organised vs solo travel in Brazil during FIFA 2014. I am a young female who will most probably be travelling on my own during that time. Budget for the 6 months is looking at $20 000 AUD

I'll be doing the whole of SA (Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Columbia), just wanted to know which country would be better value for an organised tour? Have people had good experiences with Bamba Bus??

Bamba bus and Green something or other aren't worth the price. Read the small print. They just book buses. It is extremely easy to book your buses in the level of service you want. The best buses are in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, followed by Colombia (note the spelling), Perú and Ecuador and, lastly, Bolivia.

Check out Pachamama Bus for Chile. They do an interesting option for both north and south in their own vehicles. It can be a great option for those who want some company but who don't want a classic tour.

Argentina - Any good Place to stay in Buenos Aires, clean and safe?

[ Edit: Edited on 15-Feb-2013, at 15:48 by carse ]

Femby-> Spelling noted Thanks for the info about Pachamama, North tour looks good!

So far this is my itinerary (unsure of amount of time in each but just getting my head around the geography and transport routes)

Start,
Rio, Brazil
Ilha Grande
Sao Paulo
Floripa
Punta del Este, Uruguay
Punta del Diablo
Montevideo/Colonia
Buenos Aires, Argentina
El Calafate (Perito Moreno Glacier)
Ushuaia/Tierra del Fuego
Bariloche
Mendoza
Santiago, Chile
Puerto Natales (Torres del Paino NP)
Valparaiso
then do the North Pachamama bus tour then onto Bolivia.
Thoughts?

I planning to go soon and I am thinking to visit : the Sold flats Bolivia- Iguazu falls, Rio - Brasil , Buenos aires Argetntina and Machu Picchu Peru

You want to put Puerto Natales with El Calafate and cross between the two by bus. Then cross back into Argentina or fly north in Chile. Otherwise you have to travel the length of Chile to get back to Patagonia.

Quoting Charlize

Hey guys, planning a 6 month trip to SA in 2014, starting Feb. Plan to do a mixture of independent and organised travel but not sure which country would be the most cost effective country to do a organised group tour in. Travel agent has told me Bolivia but would like some more opinions on it... Also, thoughts about organised vs solo travel in Brazil during FIFA 2014. I am a young female who will most probably be travelling on my own during that time. Budget for the 6 months is looking at $20 000 AUD

Just saw this entry of yours. I am in Brisbane Australia and I have a neice who is doing 6 months of travel down the west coast of SA ending up in Brazil (at the end of the 6months) for some world cup (in soccer I think it is) in July 2014. Tayna is 21 years old and if you're interested and you aren't set on where you commence your SA travels, perhaps you could be travel companions for some of the time????? I am a 50 year old lady who has travelling through parts of Africa, Middle East , Europe and South East Asia but for some reason I get nervous hearing about solo travelers in SA. Let me know if you're interested in linking up with Tayna.

Quoting femby

You want to put Puerto Natales with El Calafate and cross between the two by bus. Then cross back into Argentina or fly north in Chile. Otherwise you have to travel the length of Chile to get back to Patagonia.

No issues/costs for getting between the borders more than once? I'm Australian so we don't need visas for Argentina and Chile but do you think it would be better to do a tour while Im down there (purely for the logistics and my lack of good Spanish)? I'd chose one when I got there, tours booked from Aus are too expensive for me.

Also, have you travelled overland between Colombia and Brazil? I'm thinking of going from Leticia through to Manaus then down the Amazon to Belen then down the coast to Rio. A solo young female traveller doing that route, do you think it is wise or should I go through Ecuador to Manaus?

Thanks

As an Australian you pay a reciprocity fee entering Argentina at any point, which you have to pay online before entering. I think it is US$100 but check and check the terms. For Chile you only pay if flying into the airport in Santiago on an international flight, I think it is US$95 but you get multiple entries for a month. So going in and out of Chile by land borders is free but I am not positive about the terms of the Argentine fee. I can check if you want. In Patagonia everyone is going back and forth.

Don't book tours from abroad. They use local companies anyway. Just take specific tours, like to a glacier, but not general ones, like all Patagonia. When you get to a place, because you have read a guide book , you know what is offered locally. Most travellers in Patagonia are doing it independently and you will find plenty of people to join up with.

I haven't done Colombia to Brazil but Perú to Brazil. Everyone likes different things. I found it hot and boring with really bad food. I also stayed at a lodge for a few days in Perú down a tributary of the Amazon from Iquitos and really lied that. There are other options as well. It is expensive doing any of them so think about it and read as many blogs written by people who have done it as you can to get a feel of what it was like before you decide.