Highlights of Patagonia, Brazil & Peru — Self-Launched
22 days · Patagonia, Brazil & Peru
G Adventures charges £8,500
No-markup version: ~£1,787 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 22-day run from Santiago to Lima covering Chile's wine valleys, Patagonia's granite towers and glaciers, Buenos Aires, the thunder of Iguassu Falls, Rio's beaches and bohemian hills, and the Sacred Valley up to Machu Picchu. Everything the original small-group tour does — wine tasting, Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno, both sides of Iguassu, Sugarloaf, Santa Teresa, the Potato Park and Machu Picchu — but booked yourself using local buses, regional flights, public ferries and self-bookable guided day trips. Costs are rough backpacker/mid-range estimates in GBP per person and assume shared dorm or budget double rooms, public transport and eating local.
Day-by-day
Arrive Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Land at SCL and take the cheap Turbus/Centropuerto bus or the Metro (Line 1/5, ~£1) into Bellavista or Barrio Lastarria. Wander Cerro San Cristóbal by funicular if you have energy left, and eat a completo and pastel de choclo for under £6.
🚌Turbus/Centropuerto airport bus ~£3
🛏Hostel in Bellavista or Lastarria (dorm ~£12-16, private ~£28)
- →Airport bus/Metro to hostel
- →Evening walk in Bellavista
- →Cheap local dinner
Maipo/Casablanca wine valley day
Santiago, Chile
Do your own version of the included winery experience: book a small-group Casablanca or Maipo Valley wine tour via GetYourGuide (~£45-60 including transport and tastings) or DIY it by public bus to Casablanca and booking a cellar door direct. Most tours include several pours plus a cheese/empanada board.
🚌Shared minivan tour transport included in tour price
🛏Hostel in Bellavista or Lastarria
- →Casablanca or Maipo Valley wine tour
- →Cellar-door tasting
- →Gourmet bites pairing
Fly south to Punta Arenas / Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales, Chile
Cheap domestic flight Santiago–Punta Arenas (Sky or JetSMART, ~£60-100 booked ahead), then the public bus 3 hrs to Puerto Natales (~£8). Stock up on food here — Natales supermarkets are far cheaper than inside the park. Book your Torres del Paine park entry and shuttle the same day.
🚌Flight ~£80 + bus ~£8
🛏Hostel in Puerto Natales (dorm ~£12-18)
- →Domestic flight to Punta Arenas
- →Bus to Puerto Natales
- →Gear hire and food shop
Torres del Paine — Base of the Towers or day tour
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Take the early public bus into the park (~£12 return) plus the Catamaran/shuttle, or book a guided full-day Torres del Paine tour via GetYourGuide (~£50-70) covering the glacier lookouts, turquoise lakes and granite peaks. Fit hikers can instead do the Base of the Towers day hike (19km) from a Camping Chileno base.
🚌Park shuttle and public bus ~£12
🛏Hostel in Puerto Natales
- →Torres del Paine guided day tour or self-guided Base of the Towers hike
- →Grey Lake / Salto Grande viewpoints
- →Park wildlife spotting (guanaco, condor)
Cross into Argentina — El Calafate
El Calafate, Argentina
Public bus Puerto Natales–El Calafate across the border (~£25-35, 5-6 hrs). Sort your Argentine side of the trip, change money carefully, and book tomorrow's glacier trip. Evening steak and Malbec in a parrilla for ~£10-14.
🚌Cross-border bus ~£30
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in El Calafate (dorm ~£14-20)
- →Border crossing bus
- →El Calafate town and Laguna Nimez reserve
- →Parrilla dinner
Perito Moreno Glacier + boat ride
Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Self-book the bus from El Calafate (~£20 return) plus park entry (~£25) and a one-hour boat ride at the glacier face (~£25) — or a GetYourGuide day trip (~£60-80 all-in). Watch and listen for the calving ice from the boardwalks. Far cheaper than the operator's private version, same glacier.
🚌Public shuttle bus ~£20
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in El Calafate
- →Perito Moreno boardwalks
- →Glacier boat ride
- →Optional ice-trek add-on
Fly to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Domestic flight El Calafate–Buenos Aires (Aerolíneas or Flybondi, ~£70-110). Arrive in the capital and get lost in Palermo's tree-lined streets or San Telmo's antique market area. Subte rides are pennies (~£0.30).
🚌Flight ~£90 + Subte
🛏Hostel in Palermo or San Telmo (dorm ~£15-22)
- →Domestic flight
- →Palermo or San Telmo wander
- →Empanadas and helado
Buenos Aires — free walking tour & tango
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Join a tip-based free walking tour (pay ~£5 tip) covering Plaza de Mayo, Recoleta and the history, then eat a huge bife de chorizo. In the evening catch a free or cheap tango class at a milonga in San Telmo (~£5-10) — a fraction of a booked dinner-show.
🚌Subte and walking ~£2
🛏Hostel in Palermo or San Telmo
- →Free walking tour
- →Recoleta Cemetery
- →San Telmo milonga tango class
Fly to Puerto Iguazú
Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
Flight Buenos Aires–Puerto Iguazú (~£60-90). Afternoon at Hito Tres Fronteras where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet, then prep for two days of falls. Hostels here are cheap and full of backpackers.
🚌Flight ~£75
🛏Hostel in Puerto Iguazú (dorm ~£10-16)
- →Domestic flight
- →Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint
- →Hostel social evening
Iguassu Falls — Brazilian side
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Public bus across the border to the Brazilian side (~£4 return) plus park entry (~£18). The Brazilian side gives the panoramic sweep of all 275 falls — walk the Devil's Throat catwalk. Self-guided with the park shuttle is easy and identical to the included tour.
🚌Cross-border public bus ~£4
🛏Hostel in Puerto Iguazú
- →Brazilian side panoramic trail
- →Devil's Throat catwalk
- →Park shuttle
Iguassu Falls — Argentine side
Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
Argentine side park entry (~£20) plus the Ecológico train to the Upper and Lower Circuits and the San Martín Island boat if running (~£15). More trails and closer to the water than the Brazilian side. Pack lunch — park food is pricey.
🚌Local bus to park ~£2
🛏Hostel in Puerto Iguazú
- →Upper and Lower Circuits
- →San Martín Island boat (if open)
- →Ecológico train
Fly to Rio de Janeiro — Sugarloaf & beaches
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Flight Puerto Iguazú/Foz–Rio (GOL or LATAM, ~£80-120). Do the half-day Rio highlights yourself: Metro to Urca and take the Sugarloaf cable car (~£22), then bus along Copacabana and Ipanema. Cheaper than the operator's private half-day and you control the timing for sunset.
🚌Flight ~£100 + Metro/bus ~£3
🛏Hostel in Botafogo, Ipanema or Santa Teresa (dorm ~£12-20)
- →Sugarloaf Mountain cable car
- →Copacabana and Ipanema beaches
- →Coastal bus ride
Rio — Christ the Redeemer & Selarón
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Self-book the Corcovado train or van to Christ the Redeemer (~£22-28) and pair it with the Escadaria Selarón steps and Lapa Arches. Use the Metro and the free-ish city beaches. Evening samba in Lapa for the cost of a caipirinha.
🚌Metro and van ~£4
🛏Hostel in Rio
- →Christ the Redeemer (Corcovado)
- →Seladrón Steps and Lapa
- →Lapa samba night
Santa Teresa & Botanical Gardens
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Recreate the included bohemian day: ride the historic Santa Teresa tram (~£2), wander the cobblestone hilltop streets, peek at the Parque Lage mansion, then explore the Botanical Gardens (~£6). Finish with a sunset at Mirante Dona Marta via a short taxi share.
🚌Tram, bus, shared taxi ~£6
🛏Hostel in Rio
- →Santa Teresa tram and streets
- →Parque Lage
- →Botanical Gardens
- →Mirante Dona Marta sunset
Fly to Lima
Lima, Peru
Flight Rio–Lima (LATAM/Avianca/Sky, ~£150-220 booked ahead). Arrive in Miraflores and walk the Malecón clifftop at sunset. Eat your fill of ceviche and lomo saltado for ~£8.
🚌Flight ~£180 + airport taxi/colectivo
🛏Hostel in Miraflores (dorm ~£10-16)
- →International flight
- →Miraflores Malecón walk
- →Ceviche dinner
Fly to Cusco / Sacred Valley
Cusco / Ollantaytambo, Peru
Flight Lima–Cusco (~£60-90) and take it easy on day one of altitude — coca tea, light walking. Pick up your Boleto Turístico (~£25) and book your Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes train direct with PeruRail or Inca Rail (~£50-70). Alternatively bus to Ollantaytambo (~£5) to acclimatise in the valley.
🚌Flight ~£75 + colectivo/bus ~£4
🛏Hostel in Cusco or Ollantaytambo (dorm ~£10-16)
- →Flight to Cusco
- →Acclimatisation walk
- →Book Machu Picchu train and entry
Sacred Valley & Potato Park
Pisac / Urubamba, Peru
Do the Sacred Valley loop by colectivo and shared taxi (~£10). Visit Pisac ruins and market, then arrange a community visit to the Parque de la Papa (Potato Park) near Pisac direct or via a local operator (~£15-25), plus a farm-to-table lunch in a community restaurant like Parwa (~£8). Note: some community experiences need booking in advance.
🚌Colectivo and shared taxi ~£10
🛏Guesthouse in Ollantaytambo or Aguas Calientes (~£12-20)
- →Pisac ruins and market
- →Parque de la Papa community visit
- →Parwa-style farm-to-table lunch
- →Ollantaytambo fortress
Train to Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes, Peru
Take the scenic PeruRail/Inca Rail train along the Urubamba gorge to Aguas Calientes (~£50-70). Buy your Machu Picchu circuit entry online in advance (~£40, circuits sell out). Relax in the hot springs (~£5) and sleep early for the citadel.
🚌Inca Rail/PeruRail train ~£60
🛏Hostel in Aguas Calientes (~£14-22)
- →Scenic train to Aguas Calientes
- →Machu Picchu entry booking
- →Aguas Calientes hot springs
Machu Picchu guided tour
Machu Picchu, Peru
Bus up early (or walk the stairs) for sunrise at the citadel. Join a small guided tour booked via GetYourGuide (~£25-35) or hire a licensed guide at the gate — the same expert commentary the operator includes, for a fraction. Follow your assigned circuit and remember circuits are first-come at booking.
🚌Shuttle bus up/down ~£10
🛏Hostel in Aguas Calientes or Cusco
- →Sunrise at Machu Picchu
- →Guided circuit tour
- →Optional Huayna Picchu or Montana climb
Return to Cusco — Planetarium
Cusco, Peru
Train/bus back to Cusco (~£60 train or ~£12 bus), then recreate the included Planetarium visit: the Cusco Planetarium has public evening sessions (~£10-15, check schedule) with telescopes trained on the southern sky and Inca astronomy storytelling. Cheap, magical and easy to book direct.
🚌Train ~£60 or bus ~£12
🛏Hostel in Cusco (dorm ~£10-16)
- →Return travel to Cusco
- →Cusco Planetarium evening session
- →San Blas neighbourhood wander
Cusco free day
Cusco, Peru
Use your Boleto Turístico for Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo and Tambomachay (~£6 transport), or a tip-based walking tour (~£4) of the Plaza de Armas, San Pedro Market and the Qorikancha. Big market meal for £4-6 and pisco sours in the evening.
🚌Bus and colectivo ~£6
🛏Hostel in Cusco
- →Sacsayhuamán and nearby ruins
- →San Pedro Market
- →Tip-based walking tour
Fly Cusco to Lima — depart
Lima, Peru
Morning flight Cusco–Lima (~£60-90) and connect home. If you have a long layover, Miraflores or Barranco is a quick taxi ride for a last ceviche before your onward flight.
🚌Flight ~£70
🛏N/A — depart
- →Domestic flight to Lima
- →Optional Barranco/Miraflores stop
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,787 | £8,500 |
| Duration | 22 days | 22 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £6,713 per person (79%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,787
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Highlights of Patagonia, Brazil & Peru — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,787 per person for 22 days in Patagonia, Brazil & Peru. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £8,500 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,787 — a saving of roughly £6,713 (79%) per person.
How long is the Patagonia, Brazil & Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 22 days, covering 22 day-by-day stops through Patagonia, Brazil & Peru.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, culture trip through Patagonia, Brazil & Peru, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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