South & Central America A melting-pot of ancient cultures, intriguing history, stunning architecture, charming villages and towns, beautiful beaches and picturesque countryside.

An exotic and mysterious blend of cultures with strong influences from Europe and North America, South and Central America offer an abundance of vibrant countries, a melting-pot of ancient cultures, intriguing history, stunning architecture, charming villages and towns, beautiful beaches and picturesque countryside – a holiday in Latin America offers something for everyone.

While Central America is relatively compact with little distance between some of the countries, South America is vast and exploring it can be time-consuming depending on how much time you have and what countries you want to see.

Flights with major airlines directly out of Australia into Buenos Aires or Santiago in South America are limited to Qantas, LAN Airlines, via Auckland with Air New Zealand and via Dubai with Emirates. Flights into Central America require you to either fly via the US or into South America with an additional flight on to your chosen destination. It is possible to fly between cities and countries however expect multiple flights to get between destinations – two to three flights is a good average to be prepared for.

Take a tour for a unique and exciting way to discover the countries and the real culture of these two fascinating areas of the world. With a variety of standards ranging from backpacker, hop-on hop-off through to absolute luxury, you’re sure to find a tour that will meet all your travel needs. Many combine local transportation with bus and water vessels; giving you plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal with the countryside and its people. Take an expedition ship from the southern most point of South America, sailing out past Cape Horn towards the legendary Drakes Passage; be prepared to discover captivating wildlife, serene arctic waters dotted with icebergs and remote beauty like you’ve never seen before. Public transport can be unreliable and uncomfortable, best reserved for the adventurous and brave. Day tours can be a great way to explore various aspects of city and country in a safe and reliable way.

The best advice is to not attempt to see too much if travelling to South America – unless you have a few months! Brazil alone is over 8 ½ sq. km in size and the fifth largest country on earth. Pick one or two countries and see them well or book a tour that takes in the highlights; bear in mind you will need between three to six weeks to do a tour that will cover the basics of most of the South American countries. It’s a long flight from Australia so it’s best to make the most of your time there so you leave with a real sense of the passion, vibrancy and beauty of the incredible countries in this part of the world.

However long you have and however you plan to see South and Central America, you can be assured of a diverse and experience-filled holiday – all available within a broad range of holiday budgets. Whatever you want to do on your Latin American holiday, Phil Hoffmann Travel in conjunction with our range of suppliers and operators can put together the ideal itinerary for your plans. Call us, visit us or send us a booking request form now.