Reflections after Six Months in South America

Six Months in South America, Part 27

If you’ve been reading along for the last six months, you’ll know I started this journey by meeting an internet stranger in Argentina and ended with a 10-year reunion in Costa Rica. 

It was a wild and wonderful six months across South and Central America, and in many ways, this trip changed the trajectory of my life. After another six months of reflection, here are the highlights:

Favorite region I visited: Patagonia (Argentina and Chile)

Where I would stay longer: San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Medellín, Colombia

My favorite city was Medellín, Colombia. Known as the city of eternal spring, I loved Medellín for its vibrant green spaces, perfect weather, and welcoming people. If I could live in one city for a longer period of time, this would be it. 

A close second was Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I loved the access to incredible beaches, where I took surfing lessons and danced to music by Antonio Carlos ‘Tom’ Jobim. 

My favorite village was San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina, a small but lively town in the northern part of Patagonia. When I arrived, I immediately changed my flight to stay longer. Part of Argentina’s lake district, Bariloche is full of gorgeous, accessible hikes, delicious chocolate, and hospitable people. 

Places I felt safest: Cusco, Perú; Puerto Natales, Chile; Cartago, Costa Rica. I never felt unsafe anywhere, but in these places I walked alone at night, had my phone out in public places, and did things I wouldn’t do in bigger cities 

Place that will forever hold my heart: San Cristobal Norte, Costa Rica. After 10 years away, I finally revisited this small mountain village in the Cartago region of Costa Rica. Reconnecting with my host families and neighbors was the perfect way to end my six-month trip across the Americas.

Favorite Tours

1. ​​Perito Moreno Glacier Tour in Argentina

2. Guna Yala Islands Tour off the coast of Panamá

3. Day Tour of the Sacred Valley in Perú

4. Comuna 13 Tour in Medellín, Colombia

5. Sloth Sanctuary Visit in Panamá

6. Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary in Perú

7. Guatapé Day Trip in Colombia

Favorite Cultural Sites

1. Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2. Royal Portuguese Reading Room in Rio de Janeiro

3. Moray, Perú’s Incan Laboratory 

4. Maras Salt Mines near Cusco, Perú

5. Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro

6. Museu Língua Portuguesa in São Paulo, Brazil

7. Ollantaytambo, Perú

Favorite National Parks

1. Torres del Paine National Park in Chile

2. Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina

3. Iguazú Falls National Park in Argentina and Brazil

4. Tayrona National Park in Colombia

5. Irazú Volcano in Costa Rica

Favorite Hikes

1. W Trek: Chile

2. 7 Lagunas de Ausangate hike: Perú

3. Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: Perú

4. Laguna Negra hike: Argentina

5. Laguna de Los Tres hike: Argentina

6. Huchuy Qosqo: Perú

7. Waqrapukara: Perú

8. Vinicunca or Rainbow Mountain: Perú

9. Cataratas Bajos del Toro: Costa Rica

10.  Refugio Frey: Argentina

Places I missed that I want to visit: 

1. Amazon Rainforest

2. Bolivia and the Uyuni Salt Flat

3. Bogotá, Cali, and Colombia’s coffee region

4. Ancash, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, Peru

5. Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands

6. Atacama Desert and Chile in general

7. Córdoba and Mendoza, Argentina

8. Ushuaia, Argentina and Antarctica 

9. Curacao, Bonaire, Trinidad and Tobago 

10. Paraguay, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana

Here’s a recap of my itinerary, you can read about each stop in my Six Months in South America archive.

• Buenos Aires, Argentina

• El Calafate, Argentina

• Puerto Natales, Chile

• W Trek: Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

• El Calafate, Argentina

• El Chaltén, Argentina

• Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Montevideo, Uruguay

• San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

• Iguazú Falls, Iguazú, Argentina and Brazil

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• São Paulo, Brazil

• Praia Grande, Brazil

• Cusco, Perú

• Lamay, Perú

• Medellín, Colombia

• Santa Marta, Colombia

• Tayrona National Park, Colombia

• Minca, Colombia

• Barranquilla, Colombia

• Cartagena, Colombia

• Panamá City, Panamá

• Guna Yala (San Blas) Islands

• Cartago, Costa Rica

• San Cristobal Norte, Costa Rica

• San José, Costa Rica

Would I do this trip again? Absolutely. Six months was not enough. Latin America will forever hold my heart, mind, stomach, savings… I will be back.