<p>I see all the wonderful travel advice and would love tips on fun places. This would be a first visit during their summer with 3 college aged kids and 2 grandmothers! We’re interested in Peru and Brazil and maybe Argentina. This is being combined with business so suggestions for great city hotels and restaurants as well as beach and sight seeing areas.</p>
<p>My husband and I just returned from a 2-week trip to Peru in Sept. Part of our trip included a 5-day trek along the Inca Trail ending at Machu Picchu. We also visited Arequipa, the Colca Canyon and its condor look-out, Cuzco, Pisac, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, and Lima, and a number of smaller towns. I would be very happy to make observations, suggestions, etc. It is a surprisingly arid country, mostly poor but with resourceful and enterprising people, and a remarkable history. Much of the country outside of the coast (e.g. Lima) is at very high altitudes, and it may take a few days to adapt (a friend’s suggestion to me, which I was glad I followed: “Any time someone offers you coca tea, accept it.”), but it’s worth it. In addition to camping for several nights, we also stayed in some fine hotels and could offer shopping and eating advice from our experience.</p>
<p>If you give me some idea of the sorts of places you’d like to visit, I’d be happy to offer my suggestions if appropriate. Also, remember that our summer is their “winter”, although it will mostly be dry and just slightly cool during that time. (The rainy season is Oct - Dec, roughly.)</p>
<p>Anyone done any traveling in SA?</p>
<p>I’ve been to Venezuela, Columbia, and Argentina. </p>
<p>During a visit to Venezuela I made a trip to Angel Falls in the middle of the jungle - the highest waterfall in the world. It was very scenic and the flights in and out were interesting as well - a ‘touring’ 727 that was flying low and banking to let people get a good view of the falls. I don’t know how the current political situation would impact a visit like this.</p>
<p>In Argentina I was only in Buenos Aires - just a big city IMO. They have a lot of good restaurants though since a lot of people eat out. The beef there is excellent (they’re world famous for it). Go to a traditional style Argentinean bbq type of restaurant.</p>
<p>I was going to swing by Iguazu Falls (on the border with Arg and Brazil) and Rio on the way back but some airlines went on strike and I couldn’t do it. They go on strike a lot in SA. The falls are really supposed to be something. </p>
<p>Make sure you make some kind of excursion into the jungle while you’re there if you’re in a jungle area.</p>
<p>The people I met in all of these countries were very friendly and welcoming.</p>
<p>I’ve never been, however, there’s a great travel forum you should check out
[Fodor’s</a> Travel Talk Forums](<a href=“http://www.fodors.com/forums/]Fodor’s”>Fodors.com Trending Discussions)</p>
<p>Also check out another thread on Parent Cafe about Travel websites. It has some other suggestions where to get great input online to your questions.</p>
<p>Any advice for Costa Rica for college students in January?</p>
<p>I’ve never been to South America, but one place in the world that I always think of when someone mentions dream destinations is Iguazu Falls. I hope to get there someday.</p>