Where to go in July, Central / South America version?
January 16, 2019 4:53 AM Subscribe
We would like to use our reward points to go from London to somewhere in Central/ South America, for a trip of 10-14 days in July. Please help suggest itineraries or cool cities/ locales to visit. The constraints: We will have a 2 year old toddler (no packed itineraries), and our start/end points are direct flights with BA only.
We have looked at traditional itineraries, but they cater for families with teenagers, and/or are jam-packed. Ideally we would like to minimise changing locations (maximum of three), and minimising internal flights (maximum one internal flight).
Having said that, we are experienced travellers. Toddler has taken 4 return international flights of 4 hours+ so far, and will be taking at least one more return international flight of 10+ hours. In total, we will have experience of 12 flights. So we're okay with flights.
We love cities, and would be interested in Buenos Aires or Santiago, but we would like recommendations of other cities that we could visit to fill up the itinerary.
We also love nature and landscapes. We don't mind some easy hiking (we have a child carrier). Having said that, hiking up the Machu Picchu is too much.
No safaris. I have nightmares of a large predator eating my little snuggle bunny. We have done a few of these in the past, and yes, the animal is too close for me to feel comfortable.
No beaches. I can find a beach anywhere in the world and it's a beach....
Unfortunately no kayaking or active adventure sports (for now!)
We have looked at traditional itineraries, but they cater for families with teenagers, and/or are jam-packed. Ideally we would like to minimise changing locations (maximum of three), and minimising internal flights (maximum one internal flight).
Having said that, we are experienced travellers. Toddler has taken 4 return international flights of 4 hours+ so far, and will be taking at least one more return international flight of 10+ hours. In total, we will have experience of 12 flights. So we're okay with flights.
We love cities, and would be interested in Buenos Aires or Santiago, but we would like recommendations of other cities that we could visit to fill up the itinerary.
We also love nature and landscapes. We don't mind some easy hiking (we have a child carrier). Having said that, hiking up the Machu Picchu is too much.
No safaris. I have nightmares of a large predator eating my little snuggle bunny. We have done a few of these in the past, and yes, the animal is too close for me to feel comfortable.
No beaches. I can find a beach anywhere in the world and it's a beach....
Unfortunately no kayaking or active adventure sports (for now!)
Response by poster: What's your tolerance for cold weather?
Preferably above 10 Celsius (50F) in the day time.
I realise that there's a typo above -- I meant to say maximum of one return internal flight.
posted by moiraine at 6:56 AM on January 16, 2019
Preferably above 10 Celsius (50F) in the day time.
I realise that there's a typo above -- I meant to say maximum of one return internal flight.
posted by moiraine at 6:56 AM on January 16, 2019
Best answer: I would suggest looking at Costa Rica (if you're thinking Central rather than South America.) Specifically, the cloud forest/Monteverde area. There is the opportunity to do physical things but not too demanding (while I was there I saw many families with young children.) The weather in Costa Rica varies by elevation -- so San José, where you'll fly into, is usually moderate, while the beaches will be warmer. The cloud forest was temperate -- and absolutely gorgeous. I spent about a third of a 3-week CR trip in that area, and have dreamed about it ever since.
posted by profreader at 7:25 AM on January 16, 2019
posted by profreader at 7:25 AM on January 16, 2019
Best answer: Buenos Aires would be a viable place to base yourself then - it would definitely be above 10C in the day. Uruguay's just a short ferry trip away, so you could stay overnight in Montevideo or, even closer to BsAs, you have an easy day trip in Colonia del Sacramento, which is very pretty and has a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its well-preserved colonial-era architecture.
Winter is a good time of year to visit Iguazu Falls too, which is absolutely breathtaking, and wouldn't be as hot and rainy as it is the rest of the year - that would be your return internal flight, and is probably worth a two or three day stay.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 9:51 AM on January 16, 2019
Winter is a good time of year to visit Iguazu Falls too, which is absolutely breathtaking, and wouldn't be as hot and rainy as it is the rest of the year - that would be your return internal flight, and is probably worth a two or three day stay.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 9:51 AM on January 16, 2019
Best answer: Speaking for South America, I think BA only fly direct to 4 cities, BsAs, Santiago, Rio & Sao Paulo.
You could easily kill a week or more in Buenos Aires with daytrips across to Uruguay, as strangely stunted trees says winter there is not too extreme (same latitude as Sydney for reference), you'd be unlucky for it to drop below 10c but it can happen.
Their suggestion of using your internal flight to go to Iguazu for your nature fix is a good one - easy to spend a couple of days there - one day for the Argentina side and one day for Brazil.
Also an easy train ride from the city is the Tigre Delta - some overnight options but also just a nice day trip messing about on boats and eating.
posted by jontyjago at 9:57 AM on January 16, 2019
You could easily kill a week or more in Buenos Aires with daytrips across to Uruguay, as strangely stunted trees says winter there is not too extreme (same latitude as Sydney for reference), you'd be unlucky for it to drop below 10c but it can happen.
Their suggestion of using your internal flight to go to Iguazu for your nature fix is a good one - easy to spend a couple of days there - one day for the Argentina side and one day for Brazil.
Also an easy train ride from the city is the Tigre Delta - some overnight options but also just a nice day trip messing about on boats and eating.
posted by jontyjago at 9:57 AM on January 16, 2019
To give the list of options, Wikipedia is usually accurate for these things: see their pages for Heathrow and Gatwick.
Defining "Central and South America" as anywhere on the mainland and south of the Mexico-Guatemala border, the possible destinations appear to be Buenos Aires, Rio, Santiago, and Sao Paulo from Heathrow, and San Jose (Costa Rica) from Gatwick. (I figured this out by looking with my eyes, not by some sort of computer voodoo, so it's possible I missed something.)
(Your BA miles might be usable on one of BA's Oneworld partners, but you want a direct flight and it looks like that doesn't help. If you're willing to relax that requirement you get some more options with American Airlines, mostly through Miami, although I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to change planes in the US.)
posted by madcaptenor at 10:21 AM on January 16, 2019
Defining "Central and South America" as anywhere on the mainland and south of the Mexico-Guatemala border, the possible destinations appear to be Buenos Aires, Rio, Santiago, and Sao Paulo from Heathrow, and San Jose (Costa Rica) from Gatwick. (I figured this out by looking with my eyes, not by some sort of computer voodoo, so it's possible I missed something.)
(Your BA miles might be usable on one of BA's Oneworld partners, but you want a direct flight and it looks like that doesn't help. If you're willing to relax that requirement you get some more options with American Airlines, mostly through Miami, although I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to change planes in the US.)
posted by madcaptenor at 10:21 AM on January 16, 2019
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posted by strangely stunted trees at 5:30 AM on January 16, 2019