Self-Launched: Chile to Brazil Road Trippin' — Lake District, Buenos Aires, Uruguay & Rio (28 Days)

Land at SCL and take the Turbus/Centropuerto airport bus (£2) or a shared transfer (~£9) into the centre. Check into a hostel in Barrio Bellavista or Lastarria — that puts you near Cerro San Cristóbal and the nightlife. Spend the afternoon walking the historic centre (Plaza de Armas, Mercado Central for a cheap lunch of pastel de choclo), then take the funicular up Cerro San Cristóbal for sunset views over the Andes (£1.50). Sort your onward bus ticket tonight — Tur Bus or Pullman Bus to Pucón, semi-cama overnight, roughly £25-30.

🚌Airport bus to centre ~£2; walking + metro day ticket ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm, Bellavista/Lastarria (£12-16)

• →Cerro San Cristóbal funicular
• →Plaza de Armas & Mercado Central wander
• →Book overnight bus to Pucón

Full day in the capital before your bus. Options: free walking tour from Plaza de Armas (tip-based ~£5-8), street art in Barrio Bellavista, the Museo de la Memoria (free entry, donations) or a bike rental along Parque Forestal. A day trip to Valparaíso is doable on the metro + Turbus combination (~£8 return) but tight — better saved for a longer trip. Eat dinner early, grab snacks for the night bus and head to Terminal Alameda / Santiago Sur for the ~10-11hr overnight service to Pucón (departs late evening).

🚌Metro ~£2; overnight bus Santiago–Pucón ~£27

🛏Overnight bus (semi-cama)

• →Free walking tour of Santiago
• →Museo de la Memoria or Bellavista street art
• →Optional Valparaíso day trip

Arrive early morning and walk from the terminal to a hostel (most are within 10-15 min). Pucón is Chile's adventure capital: Lake Villarrica on one side, the smoking Villarrica volcano on the other. Keep it easy today — a lakeside stroll, an afternoon at one of the natural hot springs (Los Pozones ~£22 with transport, or Termas Geometricas for a splurge) or a rafting run on the Trancura River (~£30-35 via local outfitters on O'Higgins street). Groceries from the supermarket keep food costs down.

🚌Walking; taxi to hot springs ~£5 shared

🛏Hostel dorm, Pucón (£12-16)

• →Trancura River rafting (local operator)
• →Termas Los Pozones hot springs
• →Lakeside walk to Playa Grande

Big activity day. The classic is the guided Villarrica volcano ascent — glacier walk, ice axe and crater views, ~£75-90 with a licensed guide (book at any agency on the main street; weather-dependent). Cheaper alternatives: the Huerquehue National Park day hike past Araucaria forests and Lago Chico (minibus from town ~£3 each way, park entry ~£8), or kayaking on Lake Villarrica (~£25). Book directly with the agency, not through an aggregator, to save the commission.

🚌Local minibus to trailheads ~£6 return

🛏Hostel dorm, Pucón (£12-16)

• →Guided Villarrica volcano ascent
• →Huerquehue NP self-guided hike
• →Lake Villarrica kayaking

Morning local bus from Pucón to Puerto Varas (~4-5hrs, ~£12-15 with JAC or Buses Cruz del Sur). The scenery alone is worth the fare — Lake Villarrica, then Lake Ranco, then Lake Llanquihue with the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes tracking you the whole way. Arrive late afternoon, check into a guesthouse near the plaza, and walk down to the lakefront to catch Osorno glowing at sunset. Dinner of curanto or a German-style kuchen in this surprisingly Germanic lakeside town — it was settled by German colonists in the 1850s.

🚌Local bus Pucón–Puerto Varas ~£14

🛏Guesthouse private/shared, Puerto Varas (£18-25)

• →Lakefront sunset walk
• →Plaza de Armas & German colonial architecture

Two strong options. (1) Climb Volcán Osorno — the Teski Lift takes you to 1,400m from where a guided glacier walk reaches the summit (~£60-75 incl. transport and guide, book locally). (2) Day trip to Chiloé Island — buses from the terminal to Ancud/Castro (~£6 each way), where you'll see UNESCO-listed wooden churches, the colourful palafito stilt houses and seafood markets. Chiloé is the better value day and the culture is remarkable. Back in town, find a lakefront bar for happy hour with volcano views.

🚌Local bus to Chiloé ~£12 return, or tour transfer to Osorno

🛏Guesthouse private/shared, Puerto Varas (£18-25)

• →Chiloé Island day trip (Castro, palafitos, UNESCO churches)
• →Alternative: Volcán Osorno ascent

The famous Andean lake crossing is expensive (£150-200), so most backpackers take the direct bus: Puerto Varas to Bariloche with Buses Cruz del Sur or a through-ticket via Osorno, roughly 7-8hrs and £22-28. You cross at the Cardenal Antonio Samoré pass — have your passport ready, the border stop is quick but thorough. Arrive evening, check into a hostel near Centro Cívico and reward yourself with a Patagonian lamb stew or a craft beer at one of Bariloche's breweries.

🚌International bus Puerto Varas–Bariloche ~£25

🛏Hostel dorm, Bariloche (£12-18)

• →Andean border crossing at Samoré Pass
• →Centro Cívico evening stroll

Bariloche's headline half-day: the Circuito Chico. Take local bus 20 from the centre to Cerro Campanario (£0.60), ride the chairlift (~£9) for arguably the best panoramic view in Argentine Patagonia — lakes Nahuel Huapi and Moreno, the Llao Llao peninsula, and mountains in every direction. Then continue the circuit by bus with stops at Lago Moreno and the Hotel Llao Llao. Afternoon: chocolate tasting on Calle Mitre (free samples, buy a bar or two) and a lakeside beer.

🚌Local buses ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm, Bariloche (£12-18)

• →Cerro Campanario chairlift
• →Circuito Chico by local bus
• →Calle Mitre chocolate shops

Choose your adventure. Refugio Frey is the best-value day hike — bus to Villa Catedral (~£1), then 4-5hrs return through forest to a mountain hut on a glacial lake, free and stunning. Or book locally for rafting on the Río Manso (~£45), horseback riding (~£40) or kayaking on Lago Gutiérrez (~£30). If the weather's bad, the Museo de la Patagonia and Bariloche's chocolate museum are cheap indoor options. Pack and prep for tomorrow's monster bus — buy snacks and a neck pillow.

🚌Local bus to trailheads ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm, Bariloche (£12-18)

• →Refugio Frey self-guided hike
• →Optional Río Manso rafting
• →Optional horse riding

Slow morning — a café con leche at a lakeside café, laundry, and a supermarket stock-up. The Bariloche–Buenos Aires overnight is one of South America's great long-haul buses: ~20-22hrs, and with a fully-reclining cama seat (~£45-55 with Via Bariloche or Andesmar) it's genuinely comfortable. Cheaper semi-cama is around £32-38 but less sleep. Book online in advance for the best cama fares. Bring a deck of cards, downloaded podcasts, and food — the onboard meals are minimal.

🚌Overnight bus Bariloche–Buenos Aires ~£50

🛏Overnight bus (cama)

• →Prepare for long-distance bus travel
• →Supermarket stock-up

Arrive early afternoon at Retiro terminal, then Subte (metro) or taxi to a hostel in San Telmo or Palermo (£10-18 dorm). Shake off the bus with a walk to La Boca and El Caminito — the painted houses, street tango and artist stalls are free to wander (avoid straying beyond the tourist strip). Evening: tango. A milonga (tango social) entry in San Telmo is £5-8 and watching is spectacular; a full dinner-and-show in a tango house runs £40-70 if you want the polished version (book on GetYourGuide).

🚌Subte/taxi ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, San Telmo/Palermo (£14-18)

• →El Caminito & La Boca walk
• →Milonga or tango dinner show

Start with the free walking tour from Plaza del Congreso (tip-based, ~£6) covering Plaza de Mayo, the Casa Rosada and Eva Perón's balcony. Then Recoleta Cemetery (free, £8 with a guided tour) for the elaborate tombs including Evita's. Lunch in Palermo Soho, then browse the San Telmo Sunday antiques market or MALBA museum (£6). Evening: parrilla dinner — a bife de chorizo with wine is £15-20 — followed by Palermo's bars. A bike tour of the city, if you want one, is ~£28 booked direct.

🚌Subte ~£1.50

🛏Hostel dorm, San Telmo/Palermo (£14-18)

• →Free walking tour
• →Recoleta Cemetery
• →MALBA or Palermo Soho
• →Parrilla dinner

Take the fast ferry from Buquebus or Colonia Express to Colonia del Sacramento (1hr, ~£25-35 one way if booked online in advance). The UNESCO-listed Barrio Histórico has cobbled streets, Portuguese and Spanish colonial buildings and the old city gate — free to explore on foot. Rent a golf cart (£20-25) if you want to reach the beaches, or a bike (£8). Stay overnight rather than day-tripping back to Buenos Aires — it's a lovely, quiet town after the day-trippers leave.

🚌Fast ferry Buenos Aires–Colonia ~£30

🛏Hostel or posada, Colonia (£18-25)

• →Barrio Histórico walking tour
• →Riverside sunset at the old port
• →Bike or golf cart rental

Morning bus from Colonia's terminal to Montevideo (~2.5hrs, ~£7 with COT or CITA). Montevideo is relaxed, walkable and cheap — check into a hostel in Ciudad Vieja. Afternoon along the Rambla waterfront promenade, then the Mercado del Puerto for grilled meat and a glass of Tannat. The Museo del Carnaval is worth an hour (~£3), and so is the little Viven Museum about the 1972 Andes plane crash. Catch a candombe drum session in Barrio Sur on a weekend evening — free and one of the best cultural experiences in the city.

🚌Bus Colonia–Montevideo ~£7

🛏Hostel dorm, Ciudad Vieja (£16-22)

• →Rambla waterfront walk
• →Mercado del Puerto
• →Museo del Carnaval
• →Candombe drumming in Barrio Sur

Book two nights directly at a working estancia (direct email/phone is usually 15-25% cheaper than via agents) — expect £45-70 per night full board including activities, which is the main splurge of this trip. Horse riding across the pampas, cattle work, asado lunches, and total silence at night. Estancias around Florida, Lavalleja or Tacuarembó are reachable by bus from Montevideo (~2-3hrs). This replaces the tour's included estancia experience — and you can choose your own date and level of comfort.

🚌Bus from Montevideo ~£8 + estancia transfer

🛏Estancia, shared/full board (£55-70)

• →Horse riding across the pampas
• →Asado lunch
• →Gaucho life and ranch activities

A full day of ranch life — sunrise milking if you're game, more riding, birdwatching along the creeks, or just a hammock and a book. Afternoon return bus to Montevideo and overnight there, ready for the long haul north tomorrow. Costs today are mostly covered by the full-board rate plus transport.

🚌Bus back to Montevideo ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm, Montevideo (£16-22)

• →Morning riding or farm work
• →Return to Montevideo

This is the longest single leg and there's no cheap direct route — the two sensible options are (a) a 17-20hr overnight bus Montevideo to Concordia/Posadas then a connection (~£40-50 total, roughly two days of travel), or (b) fly Montevideo–Foz do Iguaçu or Montevideo–Buenos Aires–Puerto Iguazú (£90-140 on a low-cost carrier like JetSMART or Flybondi if booked weeks out). The flight saves a full day; the bus saves money. Either way, arrive in Puerto Iguazú and check into a hostel — town is small and walkable, with buses to the falls from the main terminal.

🚌Overnight bus ~£45 (or flight ~£110)

🛏Hostel dorm, Puerto Iguazú (£10-14)

• →Long-distance travel day
• →Evening at Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint

The Argentine side is the better of the two — get there at opening (bus from the terminal ~£1.50, park entry ~£28). Walk the Upper and Lower Circuits for close-up views, take the free train to the Garganta del Diablo walkway where the Devil's Throat roars below you, and if you want the adrenaline version, book the Nautical Adventure boat ride into the falls spray (~£28) at the park entrance. A full day, easily. This replaces the tour's included Argentine-side visit — same falls, no group schedule.

🚌Local bus to park ~£3 return

🛏Hostel dorm, Puerto Iguazú (£10-14)

• →Garganta del Diablo
• →Upper & Lower Circuits
• →Optional Nautical Adventure boat

Cross the border on a local bus (Puerto Iguazú to Foz do Iguaçu, ~£3-4, straightforward with passport and a Brazilian entry stamp). Drop bags at a hostel in Foz, then take the park bus to the Brazilian side of the falls (~£25 entry). It's a shorter visit but the panoramic view of the whole 2.75km of falls is the postcard shot — this is the equivalent of the tour's included Brazil-side guided tour, and you can do it unguided. Extra options: the Parque das Aves bird park (~£20) or the Itaipú Dam tour (~£18).

🚌Cross-border bus ~£4; park bus ~£6 return

🛏Hostel dorm, Foz do Iguaçu (£10-14)

• →Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls
• →Parque das Aves bird park
• →Optional Itaipú Dam tour

Cheapest: overnight bus Foz do Iguaçu to São Paulo (~15hrs, £30-40) then onward. Fastest: a low-cost flight Foz do Iguaçu (IGU) to Rio (GIG or SDU) — around £55-90 booked a few weeks ahead on GOL, LATAM or Azul, ~2hrs and none of the coach pain. From Rio, take a Costa Verde bus to Paraty (~4hrs, ~£12) departing from Novo Rio rodoviária. Arrive Paraty in the evening and settle into a pousada or hostel in the cobbled colonial centre.

🚌Flight ~£70 + bus Rio–Paraty ~£13

🛏Hostel/pousada, Paraty (£14-20)

• →Travel day
• →Evening in Paraty's colonial centre

Paraty's car-free UNESCO colonial centre is best on foot: the Igreja de Santa Rita, the harbour where schooners leave for island trips, and the daily market. Take a walking tour (tip-based or ~£12) to understand its gold-trade history, and visit a cachaça distillery just outside town (~£10 with tasting) — Paraty is the heart of Brazil's cachaça country. Afternoon: swim at Praia do Jabaquara or hire a kayak around the mangroves (~£15). Spend the evening at a boteco with a caipirinha made with local cachaça (£3).

🚌Walking; boat/kayak ~£15

🛏Hostel/pousada, Paraty (£14-20)

• →Colonial old town walking tour
• →Cachaça distillery visit
• →Kayaking or Jabaquara beach

Two great choices. Schooner boat trips run all day along the bay's islands and beaches with snorkel stops — book directly at the harbour for ~£25-30 including lunch, cheaper than through platforms. Alternatively, take the local bus to Trindade (~£2) for wild beaches, natural rock pools (Cachadaço) and a trail through the jungle between beaches — one of the best free days on the whole route. Either way, ends with a seafood dinner on the waterfront.

🚌Local bus or boat ~£5-25

🛏Hostel/pousada, Paraty (£14-20)

• →Schooner island boat trip
• →Alternative: Trindade beaches & Cachadaço pools

Local bus from Paraty to Conceição de Jacareí or Angra dos Reis (~1.5-2hrs, ~£5), then the ferry or fast boat to Vila do Abraão on Ilha Grande (~£7-10, ~1hr). No cars on the island. Check into a hostel or pousada in Abraão — book ahead in high season. Spend the afternoon on Praia Preta or walking the short trail to the Poção waterfall and natural pool. Eat at one of the beachfront restaurants where you pay by the kilo.

🚌Bus ~£5 + ferry ~£9

🛏Hostel/pousada, Vila do Abraão (£14-20)

• →Poção waterfall & natural pool
• →Praia Preta beach

Walk or take a taxi boat (~£12) to Pouso and then hike the 30-45 min trail over the headland to Lopes Mendes — consistently ranked among Brazil's best beaches, with 3km of empty white sand and no development at all. Free apart from transport. Bring water, snacks and sun cream — there's nothing there. Alternatively, a full-day boat excursion around the island's beaches and snorkelling spots runs ~£18-22 booked at the pier. Evening: cold beer and moqueca in Abraão.

🚌Taxi boat ~£12 or boat excursion ~£20

🛏Hostel/pousada, Vila do Abraão (£14-20)

• →Lopes Mendes beach hike
• →Optional island boat excursion & snorkelling

Morning: the Pico do Papagaio hike is a tough 5-6hr return with a guide (~£30) and gives the best view in the bay — or keep it gentle with a last swim and a leisurely breakfast. Afternoon ferry back to Conceição de Jacareí (~£10) and a Costa Verde bus to Rio's Novo Rio terminal (~2.5hrs, ~£8). Check into a hostel in Botafogo, Lapa or Ipanema (£16-25 dorm). Lapa's arches and samba bars are the natural first night.

🚌Ferry ~£10 + bus ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm, Botafogo/Lapa (£18-24)

• →Optional Pico do Papagaio hike
• →Lapa night out

Cover the icons: Christ the Redeemer (train up Corcovado ~£22, or hike Parque Lage to the statue for free), Sugarloaf via the cable car (~£22) at sunset, and Copacabana/Ipanema beaches. For the community experience the tour includes, book a responsible favela visit through a community-run operator (e.g. a social-project tour in Vidigal or Santa Marta, ~£20-30) rather than a big-bus tour — proceeds stay local. Cheap eats: a kilo buffet lunch is £7-9, a beach açaí £3.

🚌Metro ~£1.50/day

🛏Hostel dorm, Botafogo/Lapa (£18-24)

• →Corcovado and Christ the Redeemer
• →Sugarloaf cable car
• →Community-run favela visit

Your last full day — pick your favourites. Wander Santa Teresa and the Escadaria Selarón tiles, visit the Museu do Amanhã (£4), or take the free-ish Ipanema sunset walk ending at Pedra do Arpoador. If you want one big final activity, a half-day sail in Guanabara Bay or a hang-gliding tandem flight from Pedra Bonita (~£120) are both unforgettable. Finish with dinner in Botafogo and caipirinhas in Lapa.

🚌Metro/taxi ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, Botafogo/Lapa (£18-24)

• →Santa Teresa & Selarón Steps
• →Museu do Amanhã
• →Ipanema sunset at Arpoador

Breakfast at a juice bar, last beach walk, then the metro + BRT or a taxi to Galeão (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU) for your international flight home. Airport bus ~£3, taxi ~£12-15. If your flight is late in the day, baggage storage at the hostel lets you squeeze in one more Ipanema morning.

🚌Airport bus ~£3 or taxi ~£14

🛏—

• →Final beach morning
• →Departure